Barbecue season has arrived, and for folks in Ireland, it’s a time of optimism and social interaction in outdoor settings. The atmosphere often mirrors that of a music festival, complete with fresh air, catered meals, music, and even the occasional sleeping guest hidden in the foliage. Once festival enthusiasts, your friends now prefer the soothing ambience of a neighbour’s garden to the demanding nature of a music festival.
Since the good old days when you found contentment sitting in a turnip field in Tipperary, savouring Scrumpy Jack from a plastic container while enjoying the music of Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, music festivals have undergone significant transformation. In conjunction with 80 of Ireland’s festivals, Fáilte Ireland has devised guidelines aimed at encouraging organisers to embrace sustainability in their events. It’s a principle worth adopting for your own backyard gathering.
Decorating your garden for the party is always a fun idea, along with a welcoming sign on your front door. Nonetheless, please refrain from using balloons. Albeit some are marketed as biodegradable, even latex balloons can take upwards of six months to four years to completely decompose. Similarly, Chinese lantern and balloon releases, despite their charm, transform into unsightly litter that often harms and kills wildlife.
Gardening fanatics will agree that the arrival of guests typically fuels an urge to clean. However, it’s important to hold back on gardening for the sake of our buzzing friends, the bees. Ireland’s National Biodiversity Data Centre reveals that nearly a third of the island’s wild bees are at risk of extinction, primarily due to a lack of available food sources. Postponing mowing activities for a month and letting wildflowers flourish might generate a chain of habitats that could assist in the survival and prosperity of pollinators. If you’ve missed the “No Mow May” initiative, you could participate in “Let it Bloom June” or “Help them Fly July”.
Since July 2021, single-use plastic objects including utensils, straws, cups, and containers have been prohibited, marking their absence in vogue. Should you be hosting large gatherings several times within a year, it could be useful to borrow some additional crockery and cutlery, or you could consider purchasing a new set that will stand the test of time. As for children’s pre-packaged juice boxes with plastic straws, perhaps considering a cordial pitcher as a replacement could be a good idea.
As for paper towels or napkins, they were fashionable a decade ago. These items require the consumption of fossil fuels for manufacturing their paper pulp and demand agricultural space for tree growth. Investing in reusable, washable cloth serviettes and drying them in the sun could be a clever alternative.
When it comes to environmentally-damaging practices, the fuel used, be it gas or charcoal, for barbecues is a contentious issue. However, the greater environmental concern is the food being cooked on the grill.
Barbecues and red meat have become synonymous. Unfortunately, this traditional fare isn’t environmentally friendly. The production of beef leads to substantial carbon emissions. Cows, reared for their meat, contribute around 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions each year, as reported by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation. Also, lamb production emits significant levels of greenhouse gases, although around 50% less than beef production.
If you are fond of meat, a change in your menu might be beneficial. Consider reducing your red meat consumption, and introduce more chicken and pork to your meals. These animals contribute significantly less to greenhouse gas emissions than cattle do. Cultivate a penchant for fresh, seasonal, and locally-produced salads. A great resource is Stopfoodwaste.ie, which provides valuable guidance on seasonal produce.