Everyone loves a summer holiday + long weekend combo: warm weather, good food, your favorite people, no work… and fireworks! Sometimes it’s easy to get swept up in the celebration of things and let our sustainability efforts slip. Maybe we even feel like there’s no way to avoid it. But is there a more sustainable way to celebrate this long holiday weekend? Of course!
Here are a few things you can do to celebrate in a more sustainable way:
Skip The Fireworks -
Fireworks and the 4th of July are synonymous. Despite their undeniably captivating quality, however, fireworks cause a host of negative impacts on our environment. Not only do they deposit chemical pollutants into our air, water, and soil, but the scattered litter it leaves stays behind long after the festivities. And don't forget the frightening and confusing experience it creates for wildlife and our non-human family members at home.
A great way to reduce pollution caused by fireworks is to limit (or stop altogether) your personal firework use.
Some fun alternatives to fireworks at home are:
- Solar Lanterns and String Lights- Don't just watch from afar, fill your space with twinkling lights and none of the noise or smoke.
- A Laser Light Show- If you like a project, play around with music and colors for an exciting display uniquely your own.
- A Projector- Get creative! Project your favorite movie, or some found footage, or go classic and project some video of fireworks!
This article for Earth.Org goes into more detail and has a lot of compelling information about the negative impact of fireworks on our climate, as well as an overview of some larger scale sustainable changes that have been made in the recent years.
Reduce Picnic Waste -
Ah, the classic solo cup. No one wants to be on dish duty after the party- so reaching for the “disposable” option is the most common solve. But obviously the disposable version is the most wasteful version- even the paper disposable options aren’t by default great. They use chemicals and an excess of water to produce, and the materials aren’t always ethically sourced. The plastic versions are even worse, contributing to the ever growing plastic problem.
Simply opting for the reusable dishes you already have is a convenient way of limiting your waste at the cookout. But okay, we don’t want to do dishes right? That’s fine, just look for products that are some or all of the following: biodegradable, ethically sourced, post-consumer, and unbleached.
Grill Responsibly -
Millions will fire up their grills simultaneously for the 4th of July. While personal grill use is only a small fraction of the overall contribution to air pollution- every bit helps. So by making a few small but impactful choices, you can reduce the carbon footprint of your celebration.
Using an electric or natural gas (like propane) grill is a great way to limit toxic compounds released into the air. When using a charcoal grill, look for natural charcoal and avoid self starting briquettes and lighter fluid, both of which release petrochemicals into the atmosphere.
Eat Your Leftovers -
This one is delicious. Up to a third of food produced worldwide ends up as food-waste, contributing to methane emissions from landfills. And on top of that, the food industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gasses- meaning one third of that is unnecessary considering it just goes to waste.
So, the more leftovers you and your family can keep from becoming food waste, the better. Thinking up creative ways to reuse leftovers as components for new dishes is fun, and you might just discover your new favorite dish. And when you absolutely can’t finish everything, remember to compost.
The EPA published this Environmental Impact of Food Waste Study in 2021. They also have a Food Waste Research dedicated webpage that links to even more resources if you really want to dig into the topic.
So, this 4th of July you can have your cake and eat it too. That is to say, you can enjoy your celebration without sacrificing your sustainability efforts. Enjoy your long weekend everyone.
Have any ideas or suggestions on ways to celebrate sustainably? Let us know! We always love when you tag us on socials to share all the amazing ways you bring mindfulness into your everyday.