Picnic For The Planet April 6, 2011
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Sustainable Living.trackback
Earth Day is right around the corner ~ Friday, April 22nd.
To celebrate, consider joining or planning a picnic in the great outdoors.
Picnic for the Planet 2011 is coordinated by the Nature Conservancy in partnership with Back to Nature and Chipotle.
While you’re waiting to “get back to nature” on Earth Day, want to learn about five easy ways to make more Earth-friendly food choices?
* Eat Smart ~ Essay by Mario Batali that highlights the benefits of banning bottled water from your shopping cart and promoting heirloom fruits and vegetables in your garden.
* Eat Local ~ Essay by Alice Waters describing the pleasures of shopping at Farmers Markets and supporting local farmers who care about the land and the quality of our food.
* Eat Sustainably ~ Essay by Barton Seaver addressing the idea that every meal has a story to tell, from the history of its ingredients to the culture of the people who developed each dish.
* Eat Green ~ Incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet is good for your health, and the health of the planet.
* Eat Out ~ Join Picnic for the Planet on April 22nd, a celebration of the planet we live on, the food it provides and the people we share it with.
The planet does a lot for us ~ we should take it out for lunch on April 22nd.
Related posts: 7 Reasons We Prefer To Dine In * Tiny Green Thumbs Workshop * Only A Fool Would Say That * No Impact Man: Gradual Change * Eating Organic on a Budget (Liberal Simplicity) * Healthy Habit Thursday: Focusing on Vitamin C (Positive Parental Participation)
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Spirit Lights The Way 
Thanks for the reminder, Nancy. In my diary.
On mine too. Celebrating Earth Day gives me hope. 😎
Love the idea of eating out as in a picnic! Growing up, Sundays consisted of a country drive (we already lived in the country) and a picnic at a scenic place.
Having a picnic in the great outdoors is the best way to “eat out.” 😀
I love picnics!
Great idea.:)
Me too! We often pack picnics and head off to find a lovely spot to enjoy the repast. Always a delight.
I bought a BPH-free contigo bottle last year and haven’t bought a pack of poland spring since.
Yay! I do buy bottled water on occasion, but only to have on hand for emergencies ~ like Hurricane evacuations.
I don’t know if the weather here on Long Island, New York, would be warm enough to hold a picnic on April22nd. Late April can get awfully chilly around here. Most of our public parks are located down by the water, where it can still get shivery in late April.
However, there’s no reason why you can’t dine on the recommended cuisine indoors, where it’ll be a lot easier to prepare, set up and clean up afterward, than on grassy patch or beach.
I also suggest that people holding an outdoor picnic to celebrate Earthday, should make sure they clean up thoroughly after themselves.
Thanks, William.
April is one of those IFFY months in the NorthEast. Indoor “picnics” are fun too. And, of course, clean up is important.
it’s a good idea
Especially if we bring wine. 😀
What a great event, and thanks for sharing those articles. I’m always looking for good ideas that can include my kids too!
You’re welcome. Wonderful to include kids in the celebration of Planet Earth. 😀
[…] Earth Day is right around the corner ~ Friday, April 22nd. To celebrate, consider joining or planning a picnic in the great outdoors. Picnic for the Planet 2011 is coordinated by the Nature Conservancy in partnership with Back to Nature and Chipotle. While you're waiting to "get back to nature" on Earth Day, want to learn about five easy ways to make more Earth-friendly food choices? * Eat Smart ~ Essay by Mario Batali that highlights the benefi … Read More […]
wow. what a collage of resources. thank u.
You’re welcome, Sana. Enjoy!
Your suggestions are laudable but I find it is not that easy for people on tight budgets: local is often quite expensive, for example. Growing your own veg is not necessarily an easy option, either.
As Teddy Roosevelt once said, Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
For example, Mario Batali advocates cutting out bottled water. That saves money. 😀
I buy six bottles twice a year and wash and fill them with tap water afterwards. I agree with the mantra, though I say it as, ‘every little helps.’ I’ve been recycling, re-using and repairing for years. Long before it became fashionable, actually. Partly from witnessing poverty in South Africa; partly because I’m naturally frugal; and partly from circumstances in the last 15 years.
I read every tip I can find but most are aimed at those who don’t do much. Which is good, because we need to encourage everyone to do their bit.
I feel the same these days. As I read through suggestions, I find that I’m already doing most of them.
Yay!
You might be interested in the link I just added: Eating Organic on a Budget
I love the thought of picnic for the planet! now to get some locals involved 🙂 Thanks Nancy…
Awesome! A communal picnic is a great way to remind family and friends to look out for this lovely planet of ours.
It’ll be a Good Friday indeed. If it is picnic weather, there will be a variety of events in our village.
Excellent. Here’s to a Happy Good Friday Earth Day!
Time we got back to nature – thanks for the reminder!
You’re welcome, Barb. Hope you have a suitable celebration in nature.
I would add to your list Barbara Kingsolver’s wonderful book, “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.” Learn to eat real food.
Thanks, Nancy. That sounds like a terrific book for inspiring people to “Eat Smart.”
oh, fabulous! I shall suggests this as it gets closer on our library’s facebook page and encourage family storytime for ‘dessert’ with a couple book suggestions! You know, I must write the kids book in my head for my little pip of a main character is going to champion veganism 😉 Thanks much, Nancy!
What terrific ideas! Family storytime for dessert and a children’s book about a vegan diet. You rock!
I guess my Rice Krispies Treat won’t fall into this catergory. I am buying bottled water now. Only to have an emergency supply.
Grains and nuts (coconut) plus chocolate = perfect together.
We get a case at the start of Hurricane Season ~ and drink any left from the previous year when we’re out and about. At home, I just drink filtered water in a glass.
Great time of the year for picnics and April is usually the best time of he year, but we still can’t count on the weather. Rain and drizzle yesterday and today. 😉
I’m generally more inspired to “dine out” when the sun is shining. Here’s to sunny skies for Earth Day.
I was reading this on AOL today… Picnics will be happening all over the globe. Great. What a concept! 🙂
Eliz
It’s a cool idea. Get out and enjoy the earth on Earth Day! 😎
I am a 100% sponsor of indoor picnics when it’s too cold to have an outdoor picnic, not just on Earth Day, any day is good for an indoor picnic! You don’t even need sunscreen or an umbrella.
Especially fun with young kids. Toss a blanket down of the floor and serve up some delicious sandwiches. 😀
Regarding the “indoor” picnic…the middle of winter is also a GREAT time to spread out a blanket in the living room and enjoy a lunch (perhaps made with the help of your children). I actually recommend this in my book. 🙂
And for Earth Day, if the weather is not conducive to eating outside, perhaps families can grab some large garbage bags and walk to their local park or walk along a local stream, collecting garbage as they go…great exercise for the body and helps teach children about communicty spirit and preserving the environment.
Thanks, Nancy…for an awesome and relevant post.
Thanks, Vivian. One of the benefits of picking up trash . . . it works up a healthy appetite. 😉