Do Your Part, How to Be and Live Green in Charlotte, NC

Party Time!

Do Your Part during the Super Bowl and make your party as eco-friendly as possible!  Today, we're serving up some green suggestions to help you out.
 
There's nowhere better to start - than with the beer.  If you're having a big crowd - think about springing for a keg instead of individual bottles.  A keg can be re-used over and over for decades.
 
As for beverages of all kinds - the better choice by far is always going to be aluminum cans.  Aluminum is the most valuable and cost effective material that we recycle.  It can be recycled again and again without the material deteriorating.
 
The plastic water bottle is one item that's hard to resist but here's a way to Do Your Part.  There are brands that are using up to 30% less plastic when they make their bottles.  It's not a lot but it's certainly a good place to start.
 
Of course try to use regular glasses instead of disposable ones.  If there are too many people or if you're outside - that may not work.  One idea is to whip out those plastic cups you get at your team's game and re-use those.  If you are using disposable cups, be sure to label them with each persons name so they don't go through one after another just to get a refill.
 
As for the paper products - you can easily find  products in your local grocery store that will help you Do Your Part to conserve resources and reduce waste.  But, be sure to check the label, not all recycled paper products are created equally.  Look for those that are chlorine free and use a high amount of post consumer content - that's the paper that you and I recycle.
 
Paper towels, paper napkins are pretty easy to find.  Paper plates are a bit more tricky.  I did find this though.  Chinet uses post industrial recycled content and their plates will biodegrade once they are in the compost bin or landfill as would most other paper plates that aren't coated.
 
And of course make sure to supply bins or bags dedicated to collecting recyclable items.  Even when you're planning a party you can do your part and make smarter choices to tread more lightly on the planet.