Guide to a reduced-waste picnic

With more people taking advantage of the sunshine and some long overdue social time with friends and family, outdoor picnics have been a popular choice for the Bayside community.  

We’ve put together some easy tips on how to reduce waste created when picnicking and save you some of that nagging landfill guilt. 

Plan ahead where possible: Consider home-made goodies and pack them in reusable containers. Reusable containers can also be a great option for some store-bought snacks. Just unpack them at home and bring the containers along.   Bring your own: BYO cutlery, plates, and cups. Remember: sharing cutlery is a no-no so make sure everyone has their own. Avoid disposable plates, cups and cutlery.   BYO rubbish bag: Bring along an additional bag to use throughout the picnic to avoid stuff blowing away and becoming litter.   Utilise nearby recycling points. Keep a lookout for a nearby recycling bin (usually paired with a general waste bin). If you’re unsure about what can be recycled, check out our convenient A-Z Waste and Recycling guide.   Soft plastics recycling: Scrunch your soft plastics into a bag and drop them off at your local supermarket via a REDcycle bin.  Keep your leftovers: Bring along some extra containers and take any leftovers home with you.   Don’t add to a full bin: With so many people out and about, our bins are getting full, quickly. We’ve increased our rubbish collection in open spaces but if you notice the bins are full, look for another one or take your waste home with you.   COVID-safe picnics 

As we move towards COVID Normal it is more important than ever that we do what we can to stay safe. That means: 

Shared cutlery and food are a transmission risk. Keep yourself safe from your double dipping friend and choose individual serve options.  Masks are a must and while you can remove them to eat, they must be replaced afterwards.  No hugs, handshakes or cheek kisses – maintain your physical distance.  The number of attendees at your outdoor gathering should be in line with current State Government restrictions. 

Social distancing circles have been installed at a number of popular picnic and open space destinations across the municipality to remind residents to maintain physical distancing when enjoying our outdoor spaces.   

Together, let’s keep Bayside safe and beautiful.