Flock Party: It's in the Can

My family spent many summer vacations at the National Seashore. One of the signs we saw at many of the historical sites, parks and beaches said "Leave only footprints and take only pictures". As a kid I loved the idea of leaving no trace so no one could tell if you were there. The idea to tread light and to leave place as nice or nicer then the way you find it is just the right thing to do.

This idea was the reason for taking trash bags to the park for the party. It is so gross and inconsiderate to leave overflowing trash cans at a park. I knew out pizza boxes alone would overwhelm the one trash can in out reserved shelter. By having bags with us we were able to bag up all of the pizza boxes and leave the can for all of the messy little things.

The park didn't have containers for recycling so we brought our own. I picked up two Bungalow Trash Caches (collapsible trash bin). These are very sturdy containers which go "from flat to all that", really. It has snaps to hold the trash bag in place, washable and reuse able. At nearly $40 at the Container Store these are definitely an investment for this party and future gatherings. I had hoped to use one for recycling (paper, plastic, and glass) and one for compost. After some farther thinking I decided against collecting compost. The vegan chili is fully compostable as is the breads, but... I don't compost bread out of concerns of attracting rats, opossums, or other nasties. The neighbors have accepted the compost bin but I have been trying hard to keep it "neighborly" even in our hot muggy summers. I also had purchased regular paper plates and bowls. Both had a thin plastic coating. Not the best for compost. After this batch is used up I'll be looking for reasonably priced compostable bowls, plates, and cups. The bins worked very well for collecting our recyclables. They were sturdy enough to hold up to the windy damp day and to carry everything back home for our weekly pick up.

I like having things which are multi functional. I was able to re-purpose one of the trash caches. It is sturdy enough to hold our yoga mats and small rugs. The remaining one fits in the center and could be used as a divider if I find we need his and her sides.