Your Guide To Green

Summer in America conjures up images of outdoor fun and patriotic celebrations. Now we can add "Green" to the Red, White and Blue memories we make.

Picnics are an American summer tradition and help us recapture, if only for an afternoon, simple outdoor fun and relaxation. Whether we get together in our own backyard, choose a spot thats a bike ride away (saving gas in both cases) or travel further from home to more wide open spaces, consider adding the following green dimensions:

• Serve 100 percent organic food: Shop for locally grown fruit and vegetables whenever possible and always wash food before eating it. By selecting fresh fruits and vegetables that can be eaten raw...and by hand, you get back in touch with your human roots...and save a lot of work. It also is healthier than a basket of fried chicken, mayonnaise-filled potato salad, soda and sugar cookies. Some enticing raw foods include in-season fruits such as peaches, apples, cherries (seed spitting contests are always fun!), watermelon, cantaloupe, and many of the tropical fruits now available in grocery stores. Great vegetables for grilling and raw salads include tomatoes, onions, green peppers, some like hot peppers...and even corn on the cob. Meats for grilling can include beef, fish, but take care with chicken, turkey and pork -- they all require constant, efficient cooling and cleanliness to prevent contamination which can be difficult to accomplish in a picnic setting. For hot dog lovers remember to look for brands that include:
  
  
  • No nitrites
  • No additives
  • No hormones
  • No preservatives
  • No fillers
  • No artificial flavors and
  • No organs or brains or mystery meats, just ground beef, pork or poultry.
• Pack all of your food in reusable glass containers.  Be sure to take care and cushion them for safety.
• Take a couple of large containers filled with water, green tea, lemonade or a vegetable juice of choice and serve it in reusable cups with each person's name printed on their cup. Using large containers eliminates the major waste issues associated with cans and plastic bottles, not to mention avoiding the sugar-heavy drinks associated with creating increased body heat and sapped energy following a quick spike of frenzied activity.
• Use biodegradable and compostable bagasse (sugarcane pulp) plates and biodegradable cornstarch cutlery and utensils that can be composted when the meal is over.
• Take two paper bags -- one for compostable waste and the other for recyclable items.
• Feed the birds -- and ants -- a healthy distance from your food source. Distraction can be very helpful in keeping your picnic area more pest free. Stop by a pet store and buy some healthy wildlife food (no more bread for the birds!) and your kids will learn the importance of healthy eating for their fine feathered friends as they enjoy connecting with nature.
• Stay true to the "Leave No Trace" behind ethics and leave your picnic spot in as good or better condition than you found it.
• Once everyone's picnic appetites are satisfied and you've packed up your waste, why not rally your group to pick trash up in the park, clean up the banks of your local creek/river/lake, or participate in a locally organized event or organize one of your own that helps improve the environment.

Ah the summer picnic.  Now you can get even greener as you commune with nature and create memories for a lifetime.

1. Organic wine: http://www.theorganicwinecompany.com/
2. Biodegradable and Compostable Bagasse (Sugarcane) Plates: (insert link to Smart Spaces article??) www.worldcentric.org/store/fiberplates.htm
3. Organic, bamboo picnic basket:
4. Organic cloth napkins -- no paper!: www.greenhome.com/products/kitchen/tableware/113597
5. Bamboo organic cheese/bar board: www.greenhome.com/products/kitchen/tableware/113597
6. Organic, hand-made wool blanket: www.lebarca.com/links/blanket.htm
7. Al natural bug repellent: Herbal Armor Insect Repellent: Herbal Armor Insect Repellant