Celebrate summer with the environment in mind! Zero Waste Marin would like to offer residents sustainable and environmentally friendly options for your barbeques, picnics, and get-togethers.

• Provide your guests with reusable plates, cups, utensils and cloth napkins instead of paper and plastic disposables.
• Buy in bulk, look for products with as little packaging as possible, and try to shop at grocery stores that allow you to bring your own reusable bag to fill with different kinds of foods to reduce plastic waste. Visit our Tips to Reduce Waste at Home page for more ideas on how to optimize your shopping trips!
• Avoid excessive food waste by preparing an appropriate amount of food for your expected number of guests. You can donate any extra food to local organizations, such as the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, the Ritter Center or the St. Vincent De Paul Society. For more tips and resources, please visit our Food Waste Prevention page.
• Repurpose your food scraps! Turn your carrot tops into pesto sauce, make a refreshing summer tea with peach leaves, or even use your shrimp shells to create a delicious shrimp shell stock.
• Compost all your food scraps! Compostable foods include bones, rinds, eggshells, and your locally farmed clam, mussel, and oyster shells. Learn more about composting on our Composting Info and Courses page.

Zero Waste Marin works with cities and towns throughout Marin County to educate residents about ways to reduce food waste to improve the environment. Click HERE to download a PDF copy of this newsletter.