Every year, Independence Day or a day more commonly known as the Fourth of July is celebrated with pomp by every patriotic American. It is a day associated with merriment, parades, carnivals, fairs, family re-unions, picnics, barbecues, and spectacular fireworks. Besides being a day of festivity, this day is also linked with factors capable of affecting the environment adversely.

July Means No More Dependence on Non-Biodegradable Products

Independence Day is celebrated all over America, with barbecues and parties being the most common way of celebration. At the end of the day, piles of disposable glasses, plates, cutlery, utensils, napkins, and tablecloths end up in the garbage, waiting to make their way into landfills. According to a study conducted by the Clean Air Council, every year, Americans alone use enough disposable foodware to go around the equator 300 times. Now, that's a lot of ‘difficult to decompose' stuff in our landfills, occupying a lot of space.

Companies have started producing and marketing ‘recyclable dishes' and many Americans opt for these products, hoping to be a part of the solution. However, these products are not as recyclable as they are advertised to be. Foodware, once stained by food or beverages, is difficult to recycle since it contaminates other recyclables. Paper plates take decades to decompose, while things made of styrofoam take around 500 years to disintegrate through a rather harmful process.

The use of relatively inexpensive, party products and reusable foodware is the perfect solution to this problem. Durable and trendy, hand-painted canvas tarp works well as a tablecloth. Keeping the Fourth of July in mind, you could use the colors of the flag to suit the occasion. Square pieces of red or blue colored fabric and small towels make good napkins. To hold cold beverages, try using a large galvanized utility tub that can be bought from hardware stores. Enamel dishes and glasses complete the picture, making your get-together a memorable one.

Get Independent With Eco-Friendly Promotional Items in July

Celebrations are a part and parcel of life and the best way to celebrate life is by giving back to our planet a bit of what it has given us. Switching to reusable tableware, instead of disposable and recyclable items, is a good start. These products add a touch of sophistication to any casual party and can be washed, stored, as well as reused, year after year. This helps to lighten the burden on the environment since it prevents the unnecessary usage of precious natural resources. In addition, eco friendly promotional items make perfect mementos and go a long way in promoting values that highlight the need for preservation of our environment.