Have An Eco-Friendly Super Bowl Party
1.4 Billion Chicken Wings on Sunday
Food is everything for those working to reduce waste and eliminate hunger. When we walk into a grocery store and see a bruised piece of fruit, we become sad thinking that this nourishing treat could end up in a landfill instead of a Food Bank serving food-insecure communities.
But on event days like Super Bowl Sunday? Well, last year over 40 million pounds of food were wasted —just from the stadium. The good news is that much of this stadium waste was rescued and repurposed because of a plan. This year, up to 120 Million people will be watching or attending the big game. That means there will be 1.4 Billion chicken wings sitting alongside an equal amount of chips, salsa, pigs in a blanket, and so much more!
Celebrate But Make It Zero Waste
We want you to have fun, but we also want you to have a plan! Throw your party and be mindful of the waste. Here are Eight Zero Waste Party Tips to enjoy the game and feel good that you are making an impact:
1. Have a Plan for Scraps of Food
If you live in California, you need a plan for food waste. SB-1383 requires you to compost! Have a bucket next to all the delicious foods clearly marked “COMPOST” so that your guests know what to do. Food accounts for a lot of what goes into landfills, so having a place to compost reduces that impact, and it helps to reduce our carbon footprint too! Learn more about SB-1383.
2. Don’t Use Plastic Plates, Cups or Utensils
Sure, we know it’s easier to toss out plates rather than wash them! Minimize cleanup by preparing dish stations with buckets full of soapy water for guests to use to soak dirty dishes. Put a little sign above the wash station: “40 Million Tons of Waste is Generated During the Super Bowl. Prevent waste-wash and rinse a plate.” [Not enough plates? Try Goodwill. You can recycle used containers for very little money.]
3. Use Reusable Bags
When shopping for the party, remember to bring your favorite reusable grocery and produce bags to the store with you to minimize plastic and paper bag usage! And if you forgot, get those plastic bags out and recycle them!
4. Pack It All Up in Reusable Containers
You know there are going to be leftovers, so plan ahead. Minimize the use of plastic baggies, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and other disposable food storage items by packing leftovers in reusable containers. If you usually give leftovers away to guests, ask them to bring their own reusable containers to take food home in.
5. Forget All The Decorations
At the very least, could you keep it simple? You are there to watch the game, so save your money and focus on your team winning! And if you can’t live without a football-shaped table centerpiece, make it reusable. Your great-grandkids will be very grateful you did!
6. Label and Plan Your Trash Cans
There are two critical tricks to this part: First, clearly label waste receptacles, and second, put them in places that are easily accessible to guests. If they can’t see them, they won’t use them.
7. Let Everyone Know: Make Announcements
Just before the game starts, and then just before the first half-time commercial, announce the bins, the food scraps, and the reason why you are changing things up this year. Change happens when enough people speak up. Be the voice of change!
8. Repurpose Extra Food After The Game
Your Super Bowl planning probably included extra buns, chips, and produce. If you think it will go to waste, turn sour, or go uneaten–DONATE IT. Better to feed a group of seniors than to add to the landfill heap. Food Finders has a mission to rescue food, reduce hunger, and provide nutritious meals to food-insecure communities. That could be your mission too! Be a Food Rescue Hero
Resources for Food Donations
For Ram’s Fans: Food Finders
California Association of Food Banks
For Bengals Fans: Last Mile Food Rescue
If you would like to make an impact on reducing food waste and hunger help us grow our food rescue operations: Donate
#foodfindersinc #FoodRescue #reducehunger #foodrecovery #Volunteer #Charity #helpfoodinsecurecommunities #HelpEndHunger #EndHunger #fightinghunger #rescuingfood #Donate #makeanimpact
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