While sustainability may not be on your mind as you’re getting ready to go out, helping the planet is the perfect way to offset anything questionable that may happen as the night progresses.
An added bonus? It’s easier than you may think.
With these simple tips in tow, you’ll be ready to own the night without doing major damage to the earth.
The Pre
The Cups: So it’s your turn to host the pre, and while you may or may not be happy about that, you can still do it in a sustainable way.
First, consider your friends. Are they classy drunks? Or do they destroy everything in sight when the alcohol flows? If you trust your friends to keep their cool, using glass shot glasses or the cups you use everyday is the most sustainable option because it uses the least plastic and you can easily wash them and re-use them again without generating extra waste. If you don’t trust your pals with normal cups or shot glasses, be sure to dishwash those Solo cups and use them again. You won’t get as many uses out of them as the real stuff, but it’s better than nothing.
Recycle Recycle Recycle: This tips speaks for itself but it is often overlooked. It may be tempting to just throw everything in a giant trash bag after the party is over and you’re hungover and too tired to clean, but try to go the more sustainable route and recycle what needs recycling. Simply disposing bottles and cans properly is a very easy and impactful way to be more sustainable.
Getting to the venue: Whether it be downtown or mid, try to walk to the bar or club. Not only will you burn some of those boozy calories you just imbibed, but you’ll also do the earth a favor. At the very least, try to fit as many people as you safely can into your Uber.
Bonus: The Pre-Pre: When you go shopping for your shindig, be sure to bring your reusable shopping bags to start the pre off right. Why use more plastic than you absolutely have to?
The Bar
Ditch the Straw: Being sustainable at a bar, especially if you’re already drunk from the pre, can be hard and seem pointless. But small things like asking for your drink without a straw will save you from wasting extra plastic. When you’re six mixed drinks in and on the verge of a few more drinks without that unnecessary plastic, the earth will certainly thank you.
Go for the Pitcher: This sustainable tip is not for the faint of heart, but is attainable with willpower or a good friend: drink straight from the pitcher! Yes, it is unconventional, but you’re there to drink and have fun and this will save you from wasting plastic cups. So grab a friend or bolster your confidence and do a good deed for the environment.
Drink Local: Gainesville is home to several types of local beer. When you’re at the bar or club, ask if they have any beers on tap from the Gainesville area. It’s a great way to support a local sustainable business and expand your drink horizons. Think about it: the beer didn’t have to travel all the way from a canning facility in California to get to your hand.
Drunchies
Use Less: When it comes to food, most of us have a general idea of what’s good for the planet/our bodies and what’s not. But all of that may go out the window when you’re drunk and hungry. A simple tip is to use less paper or plastic products when you’re on your late-night binge. Don’t use 15 napkins just because you can. Try asking for your pizza by the slice without the plate. (Lord knows you inhale it the second it’s handed to you anyway.)
Eat Well: After a night of bad choices, use this opportunity to make a good one. Try to skip the meat option and opt for a veggie burger or felafel wrap. And if that fails miserably, which it very well could, hit up one of Gainesville’s sustainable brunch spots the next morning.
While these small steps might not seem important (especially after you’ve had a few zipperheads), if all of Gainesville’s drunkards in midtown and downtown adopted just a few of these tips on their night outs, it would make a significant impact.
The earth will certainly thank you, even if your liver doesn’t.
