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going green gets even better
A hint of warm weather and suddenly we've got a calendar of outdoor entertaining — dinners on the deck, parties on the patio, cookouts in the yard. But all those alfresco activities can add mountains of disposable dinnerware and party goods to the country's landfills. If you want to picnic like it's Earth Day all summer long, consider some of the greener options available this season. "When you think about the fact that every plastic fork you've ever used is still out there somewhere, it makes you reconsider your choices," says Starre Vardan, founder and editor of www.eco-chick.com, an environmental website geared toward hip, environmentally savvy women. "Plastic stuff just never breaks down. The good thing is that eco-friendly items are more easily accessible than ever before, and you can find a great selection of things in your local stores." Vardan, a South Norwalk resident, says Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Branch Home, ( www.branchhome.com), Trader Joe's and many other companies have added lines featuring organic, recycled, sustainable or recyclable merchandise to their offerings, including disposable tableware that breaks down and biodegrades in 180 days or less; brightly hued plates, cups and flatware made from recycled plastics; bamboo serving pieces in fun, summer colors; and recycled glass vases, glasses, pitchers and carafes. "Green has gone way beyond beige. Manufacturers are creating merchandise that looks great and is still kind to the planet," says Vardan, whose book, "Eco Chick Guide to Life: How To Be Fabulously Green," will be published by St. Martin's Griffin in August. "You don't have to set your outdoor table with things that scream crunchy granola."
Danny Seo, environmental lifestyle expert and author of "Simply Green Parties," agrees. "These days you can go green without sacrificing style," he says. Some of Seo's favorite green outdoor ideas: Purchase a bunch of inexpensive, colorful bandanas and use them for napkins all summer long. Take solar lighting sticks and scatter them around the deck, in planters or even on your patio table. When the sun goes down, they'll throw off a great, soft glow. If you're serving up hot dogs for a crowd and really want to use disposable dinnerware, consider biodegradable plates made from sugar cane or other vegetable products. (At Branch Home, customers can order plates, cups, bowls, trays and platters made from a sugar cane byproduct called bagasse and cutlery made from potato starch.) Other Earth-friendly options include recycled paper towels and napkins from such companies as Marcal and Seventh Generation (available at most major supermarket chains), and 365 (sold at Whole Foods). Sturdy, reusable plates, cups and flatware from Preserve are made from recycled yogurt cups and other plastics and are available in such chic colors as ocean teal, berry red, lilac and pear green at Wal-mart and other national retailers. Crate & Barrel's new Cabo Barware collection is green squared — chunky, hand blown, cactus-green-colored pitchers and glasses made from 100 percent recycled glass. Chesapeake Bay's environmentally friendly Peace & Tranquility candle collection, available in Target stores, features jarred, soy-blend candles, lead-free cotton wicks and natural, essential oils in such patio-enhancing combinations as lavender and mint, ginger and saffron and tea leaf and papaya. For people who love the thrill of the grill, Cowboy Charcoal offers low-smoke briquettes made from untreated maple and oak scraps from furniture and flooring plants. (Most briquettes on the market are made from timber waste, sawdust and lighter fluid, which give off greenhouse gases.) Cowboy charcoal is available at Home Depot and Lowe's stores. Seo suggests using dryer lint from a batch of towels or sheets as a natural fire starter. "There's a cultural shift going on," says Seo. "People are realizing that going green means saving money and time without sacrificing the way they live and entertain. It's really a win-win situation all around." |
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