At our recent recycling webinar (view recording here,) we confirmed that most plastic and wax-coated paper take out containers used by restaurants are not recyclable. And many restaurants add plastic cutlery, condiments and lots of napkins by default. You can help by explaining when calling in your order that you wish to reduce your waste as much as possible (or add comments on the on-line order form.) Ask them to combine orders into fewer containers, use recyclable containers whenever possible, and hold the condiments, cutlery and napkins.
Tips for celebrating a greener Halloween
There are lots of ways to reduce the impact of Halloween. Here are just a few:
- Create costumes and decorations from items you already have at home.
- Skip the fake webbing on bushes as it can trap and kill insects and birds.
- As alternatives to giving out candy in all those wrappers, consider pencils, erasers or other eco-friendly treats.
- If you are hosting a gathering, use your own dishes, silverware and glasses instead of plastic ware that gets thrown out.
- Compost your pumpkins in your backyard or bring them to the Village Hall or Centennial parking lots on Nov. 6 from 9 am until 3 pm. Not from Wilmette? Click here for “pumpkins smashes” near you – and great reasons why those pumpkins should not end up in a landfill.
Click here for 29 more fun green tips! Happy Halloween!
