Top 10 tips for a low waste picnic

1. Don’t forget to take your reusable water bottle. Reusable bottles are a great way to reduce your waste whilst staying hydrated.
2. Ditch the disposable plates and opt for reusable crockery instead. If you’re worried about breakages, why not take some reusable outdoor plates and cups?
3. Reusable cutlery is another great way to reduce your waste. Instead of packing disposable knives and forks, take the real thing and bring them home at the end of the picnic for washing up.
4. You can reduce your waste further by taking a reusable tablecloth or picnic blanket instead of a disposable plastic one. You can then bring it home to be washed and used again, instead of throwing it away.
5. Similarly, reusable napkins as opposed to disposable paper ones are a great alternative that helps reduce your waste.
6. You could also try to avoid packing home-made food in cling film or tin foil and use reusable containers instead. There are many great options available to keep food fresh such as beeswax wraps and Tupperware.
7. Another great way to reduce your waste is to avoid packing plastic straws. There are lots of different types of reusable straws on the market, why not try one of those?
8. Make sure to only take what you need and avoid packing extra food. Plan realistically and don’t be afraid to split food. For example, if you've bought a whole tub of hummus and you know you are likely to only eat half, put half in a reusable container and leave the other half at home in the fridge to eat later.
9. If you do have left over food, instead of throwing it away, take it home with you for future snacks and meals. It is a good idea to make sure you take some extra containers to keep your leftovers fresh.
10. If you’re buying fruit, opt for unpackaged fruit to keep your waste to a minimum. Instead of packing fruit like berries and grapes that come in plastic trays, why not choose loose bananas or apples?

Most importantly don’t forget to have fun and recycle what you can. Remember, metal cans, tins, plastic bottles, pots tubs and trays (regardless of colour) as well as cardboard and paper packaging can all be recycled in West Sussex. For more information on what can and can't be recycled here in West Sussex visit our A-Z.