Greener ways to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night
Bonfire night is always a super fun evening full of community, festivity and colour. Find a different way to SPARKLE this year with Lil’s family friendly, firework- free ideas:
Wrap up warm and have a firepit in the garden with hot chocolate or a mug of something mulled. Lil can help keep you cosy with our waterproof and recycled wool blankets, insulated drinks cups and delicious hot chocolates.
Light up your outdoor space with solar-powered fairy lights.
Toast marshmallows and tuck into homemade toffee or chocolate apples. We have a wonderful range of all things chocolate in our pantry section. From premium chocolate bars and buttons to chocolate-covered brazil nuts and raisins. Bring your jars and pop in and say hello at the Lil hub!
Cook up a super cosy feast (and use up your pumpkin remains).
Look for nature’s own shooting stars with a spot of star-gazing.
Replace glow sticks with torches. Glow sticks are not only single use but are non-recyclable.
And if you’re planning a little party, Lil can help you cut out disposable plates and cutlery with a whole stash of colourful plastic crockery and cutlery to hire which has either been intercepted from landfill or has been donated.
Re-thinking Fireworks
We love a tradition but fireworks are something we need to re-think. Firework shells are either made of plastic or contain (non-biodegradable) plastic. What goes up must come down and in the case of fireworks, plastics falling to the ground are a serious threat to wildlife and can end up washing their way into the drains and local waterways, ultimately ending up in the sea. At Lil we sure do love a party, but let’s make sure we pick up those plastic firework remnants or offer to help pick up after a local communal event. On that note, Lil Community Champion, Elizabeth Vischer has created a little clip of her plastic firework finds on a local beach in Longniddry. If you’d like to find out more about her wider plastic pick project, head on over to our blog to read all about it..
These are just some of the ways you can help cut firework waste, If you want to find out how you can cut your carbon, join us on our COP Challenge.
Spare a lil’ thought for our furry friends
It goes without saying that fireworks can be a pet's worst nightmare. If you are planning on your own display, have a quick word with your neighbours so they can prepare for their pooches and pussy cats.
Let’s not forget our garden hibernators - check for nests amongst the leaves and logs before you set bonfires alight! And burning all-natural materials is the greener way to go, avoiding anything with plastic or rubber.
A Lil bugbear is the newish trend to use sky lanterns. Although momentarily beautiful, even biodegradable versions can pose a real risk to both livestock and wildlife if eaten or entangled as well as a fire hazard.
Here’s hoping our scientists can come up with more planet and pet-friendly alternatives soon.
Wishing our Lil Community a happy and safe Guy Fawkes Night!
