Western Kings 4-H Club helps the Earth one meal at a time
At a time of year when dinners, parties and other social events happen at a high frequency, garbage bags tend to be filled with disposable plates, cups and cutlery.
But the Western Kings 4-H Club is doing its part to try to reduce that injection into the waste stream by having members bring their own tableware to events.
It’s a policy the club has had for several years, leader Mary Magee said, and one that fits with its core values.
“One of the four pillars of 4-H Canada is the environment, so it’s something that’s really being stressed now,” Magee said at a recent club supper, where a wide variety of styles of plate, cups and cutlery was on the table in front of club members. “Activities are being held, workshops are being held, especially at the national level, to encourage people to be good to the environment.”
She said bringing your own dishes is an easy thing to do, and she hopes more groups and organizations will consider the practice.
“There are churches I’m involved with where people will bring their own dishes; it certainly is a way to be kind to the environment.”
The initiative was a local one and not a directive of the parent 4-H organization, she said, but some other clubs have followed suit.
“I’m sure people just thought this was a good idea,” Magee said. “It wasn’t anything that we contacted each other, it’s just what we started doing, and you see the benefit of it. We do try to stress the fact the environment is important.”
If people forget to bring their own dishes there are usually a few extra that have been brought to the occasion, Magee said.