As temperatures rise and gatherings around the grill with friends and family to celebrate under the sun take off, Waste Management of Southern California offers five easy-to-follow green tips to make outdoor entertaining season more sustainable.

“Whether celebrating a college grad, dad or any other special occasion, there is a lot that we can do to protect the environment while entertaining outdoors,” said Eloisa Orozco, spokesperson for Waste Management of Southern California. “By adding a few eco-friendly practices to our gatherings, we can all do our part to reduce waste as we enjoy the beauty of the season.”

Keep outdoor gatherings sustainable with these helpful tips from Waste Management:
– Sending an invite? Save paper by choosing electronic invites or purchase invitations made from recyclable content and encourage guests to reduce their carbon footprint by carpooling or ride-sharing to the soiree.
– When planning the menu, go local and go organic for all your party eats.
– Choose reusable serving platters and dishware for appetizers, entrees and dessert to cut down on single-use items. And if using plastic wrap to keep your spread covered, remember to keep it out of your recycling container once the celebration is over.
– Encourage recycling by setting out recycling containers for your guests to recycle all empty bottles and cans.
– If barbeque is on the menu, remember to practice safe coal disposal by allowing coals to cool for a minimum of 48 hours before placing them in the trash. Never place them in the recycling or green waste container.

About Waste Management
Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is also a leading developer, operator and owner of landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The company’s customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.