Let’s go green for the Queen with our jubilee celebrations
Q: Can I have a green Platinum Jubilee celebration for the Queen? A: Yes, go green for the Queen! Her majesty broke with tradition to say how “irritated” she is by people talking about climate action while not taking it so it makes sense to consider the planet when celebrating 70 years of her reign.
As people prepare for street parties up and down the country, there are so many ways you can make your own event more sustainable.
Here are my tips ...
Avoid disposables
When catering for lots of people outdoors, it’s all too easy to buy a load of disposable plates and cups as well as plastic cutlery.
If possible try to avoid this. Ask everyone to bring enough bowls, plates, beakers and cutlery for their own household.#
As well as saving money, it’ll cut down on the sacks of rubbish at the end.
Getcraftywiththedecorations
As soon as you see a balloons, you think of parties and fun.
Sadly, the truth is they’re not kind to the planet.
Many manufacturers market balloons made from rubber or latex – derived from the sap of tropical trees – as “eco-friendly” or “natural”.
But they still don’t biodegrade easily.
Australian scientists found they are incredibly slow to break down and pollute the natural world by posing a serious health risk to birds and other wildlife.
When it comes to bunting the ready-made plastic variety is best avoided.
If there are kids coming to your do, get them all together to craft their own bunting using a washing line, some scrap paper and also some felt tip pens or paints.
It’ll mean so much more than anything shop bought.
Make your own food
Try to avoid pre-prepared salads and ready-made dishes packaged in plastic.
For catering organise a potluck where each household brings one dish for a buffet.
Avoid food waste
In the UK we bin 6.5 million tonnes of food each year, of which 4.5 million tonnes is still edible.
What a waste of money!
It’s also a huge amount of unnecessary carbon emissions.
Have lots of jam jars and containers on hand, so people can take any leftovers home.
Label your bins
It’s a good idea to organise some big bins for your event and have them clearly marked, showing which are for glass, paper or other rubbish.
That way, recycling should be separated the right way for your local council.
Appoint a clean-up committee
Arrange for a group of you to take charge of the clean-up to ensure that all of the rubbish is disposed of correctly and the street is left clean and is left tidy.