If you’re getting outside on the Fourth of July for a picnic, here are some tips to keep it eco-friendly:
- Several of Richardson’s parks contain blue recycling bins. Visit www.cor.net/recycle for the latest list of what can be recycled (it can change due to fluctuations in the international recycling market). Better yet, bring along reusable containers and picnic ware and refillable water bottles.
- Grilling? Try a portable, reusable charcoal chimney to heat the coals, available for around $15 at most hardware stores. It’s placed on the grill bed and avoids the use of petroleum-based lighter fluid, which releases toxins into the air.
- Don’t feed leftovers to ducks and geese. The feeding of “people food” to waterfowl causes nutritional deficits and birth defects and can result in too many waterfowl living in one area. Instead, bring a camera or journal and teach children how to engage with wildlife in a safe and healthy way. Visit www.cor.net/waterfowl for more information.
