Use a sustainable caterer
Why This is Green
Every once in a while, you need to cater an event. Whether it’s a birthday party in your backyard or an executive meeting in your office boardroom, seek out a green caterer who will craft dishes from carefully sourced ingredients – local, organic, free of hormones, antibiotics, and pesticide residues, and trans fats. They will ideally also serve this food on reusable platters, washable dishes, glassware, and mugs, as well as offer real utensils and cloth napkins instead of disposable.
According to CleanAir.org, the U.S. population tosses out enough paper bags, plastic cups, forks, and spoons every year to circle the equator 300 times. Many (often nonrenewable) resources go into making these, we use them for mere moments, and then they clog our landfills for hundreds of years. And questionable chemicals in these one-use items can get into your meal; some of the grease-repellant coatings used in boxes used for transporting food (like pizza) contain PFOA, a likely human carcinogen. Working with a green caterer will reduce the amount of packaging and waste associated with your event.
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How To
Seek out a sustainable caterer. If you can’t find one, ask your caterer of choice to use reusable items and local food. Let them know you don’t need single use packets for sauce, ketchup, sugar, or salt and pepper. Request bigger containers for everyone to share.
Recycle and compost after the event if you can. Leftovers can go home with guests or staff, or can be donated to an organization feeding people in need.
