Football season is in full swing, and it’s time to get your tailgate on. But as littered parking lots prove, this age-old American tradition isn’t always the greenest of activities. You can make your tailgate more earth-friendly without spending a fortune (or skimping out on your game-day fun). So, paint those faces, light up those grills and check out these eight simple steps to a greener tailgate.
Photo: Flickr/somegeekintn
1. Get your carpool on
Carpooling to the game with friends and family makes a huge dent in your tailgate’s footprint before you even get to the stadium. If you’re planning on meeting your buddies at the venue, why not start the game-day camaraderie early and pile into the same car together?
Packing friends and family into one car not only saves on emissions but also makes all that pre-game traffic a little more tolerable. And one of your friends may even have a secret parking spot you never knew about!
If you think there’s no way you can carpool and still fit all your tailgate must-haves into the trunk, think again. Choose a vehicle with maximum trunk space for your carpool ride, and spend a few extra minutes on creative packing. A limited space also forces you to be pragmatic about the stuff you’re bringing. Do you really need four different kinds of potato salad? Probably not. Save one or two of them for Monday Night Football to cut back on food waste (and increase trunk space).
Reusable Replacements for Your Tailgate
Fans, Teams Tackle Football Tailgate Waste
7 Ways to Green Your Laundry