MNN - Mother Nature Network

With the help of Kimberly Oliver from Design Within Reach, Danielle has a fun, eco-picnic (with games) that produces practically no waste! (Nick Scott/MNN)

 

 

Danielle: Hey guys!  It’s Danielle.  And today I’m here with Kimberly Oliver from Design Within Reach.  And we’re gonna talk about how to throw a very cool, fun, eco-picnic.  Naturally, you start with your blanket.  In order to get to your picnic, of course you have to carry everything in a bag.  We used these awesome bags.  Kimberly, tell me about these.
Kimberly: These are the recycling bags, which come in a set of four for your plastics, your paper, your glass.  They make great totes.  And they also make a very stylish way to separate your recycling.
Danielle: You can carry in one and then at the end of the meal, if you have food waste, you can put your compost in a separate one.  So then, for our plates, we’re gonna use VerTerra plates today.  These are incredible.  They’re made from fallen leaves and they’re steam pressed.  So there’s no chemicals, no toxins, nothing.  Fully compostable and biodegradable.
Danielle: So, for drinks, we’re going to use our Sigg bottles, obviously reusable.  They – you should be carrying these everywhere you go.  No plastic bottles.  No more plastic bottles.  Orange or white?
Kimberly: White, please.
Danielle: So, continuing with our place settings, we’re going to be using To-Go Ware flatware, which is this amazing reusable flatware.  All of the utensils are bamboo.  It comes with chopsticks as well.  And, of course, we need food.  So we’re going to use these great tiffin containers that are from Tools for Living.  This looks amazing.  So, what – what’s the story with the tiffins?  Like, how are they – I mean, I can tell they’re beautiful but can you …
Kimberly: Well, those are just a great alternative to carrying your food in something that’s either paper or plastic that you’re only gonna use once, maybe twice, and then toss or recycle.  The tiffins really allow you to have a solution that you can buy or get once and then you just use it over and over again.
Danielle: What about the rest of the day when we’re done eating?
Kimberly: Well, I brought some games.
Danielle: Genius.
Kimberly: A bowling set.
Danielle: Oh, I’ve seen this!  I love this.
Kimberly: But instead of being made out of plastic, it’s made out of all-natural materials so the little ball’s made out of rattan.
Danielle: With a bell.
Kimberly: With a bell.  And then it’s natural cypress wood.
Danielle: All right, ready?
Kimberly: Let’s see how you do.
Kimberly: Air ball.
Danielle: Oh my gosh.  I’m not even kidding, it just keeps happening. 
Danielle:  Maybe I need to get a little closer.
Kimberly: Yay!
Danielle:  Yay!  That’s 50%.  We’re halfway there.  Okay, now that I’ve been thoroughly humiliated with the bowling set and it’s cold, I think it’s time to pack it up.
Kimberly: Sounds like a great idea.
Danielle: So let’s separate.  We have our compost waste.  We’ll put it in that bag.  And everything else we’ll just pack it up in the regular one and bring it back to the place.  See ya next time.