Football season is a time for Friday night lights and barbecue. It is also a season filled with single-use plastic and uneaten food. Making your tailgates greener can seem daunting at first, but making simple swaps can help make a positive impact on the environment.
Try these swaps for your next tailgate:
Sportswear Swaps: Seasonal and special-event jerseys are a great way to show team spirit. Instead of buying new this season, consider hitting up your local thrift store. Or ask a friend if they have any extras.
Food and Drink Swaps: The tailgate spread is arguably the best part of the event. Often, single-use plastic utensils and plastic party cups are the main source of waste during these events. Opt to bring your own utensils or drinkware and wash them when you get home. Another overlooked way to reuse items you already own is to make a stop in your kitchen. Instead of buying additional food to grill, consider reusing your leftover beef, pork or poultry. Try using the previous night’s dinner chicken in a new game day chicken nachos recipe!
In place of using single-use plastic bags to bring home leftovers, use reusable totes and insulated bags. You’ll be able to reuse those bags for your next event while producing less waste.
Seating Swaps: Rather than buying new fold-up chairs, ask a friend if they have any extra. Many sports fans are sure to have extras that they would be willing to lend. Or, bring a blanket or cushion from home.
Décor Swaps: Instead of buying new or event-specific decorations, reuse décor from the year before. Reusing items like banners and flags is environmentally friendly and takes some stress off planning.
The choices you make might seem small in the moment, but they will contribute to a cleaner and brighter future in the long run. Being intentional about where these items end up will help divert waste from the landfill.
