Earth Day is over, but that doesn’t mean we should bookmark it away for next year’s calendar. With Cinco de Mayo fast approaching, now is a great time to celebrate the festivities with sustainable choices that preserve the planet.
Here are some ways you can keep the green initiative going as you get your Latinx moves on.
Ditch the Fast Fashion
You may have already noticed the beautiful, bright outfits popping up in your social media feeds just in time for the festivities. Most of those outfits, however, are a byproduct of fast fashion – an unsustainable and cheaply-made clothing model for designing, producing, and shipping clothes.
Though fast fashion is on top of trends and is way cheaper than most ethically sourced clothes, the price that it has on our planet is more costly than saving a few dollars. Between the poor working conditions for many garment workers in third-world countries (source), the carbon footprint of shipping said clothing, and the ingredients themselves (we’re talking about you, microplastics), fast fashion has disastrous effects on the environment.
If you’re looking for an attractive piece of clothing on a budget, consider thrift shops or borrowing an outfit from a friend to reduce the number of unnecessary clothes created each day.
Avoid Single-Use Plastic
Warmer weather on this 5th of May brings with it colorful dancing, cool drinks, tasty Mexican food, and gatherings. Whether you’re planning on sipping on margaritas or stuffing your face with tacos, skip the disposable food ware.
Instead, consider investing in reusable fabric towels, durable cups and plates, and silverware. If you’re concerned about broken dishes, you can also take a trip to the local thrift shop and buy second-hand plastic dishes.
Make It Vegan
Speaking of tacos, another easy way to make sustainable changes to your Cinco de Mayo celebration is by making it vegan. From tacos to tamales to chips and queso, every non-vegan food these days has a tasty, vegan replacement.
Simply swap the cheese for a vegan alternative, like nutritional yeast or cashew cheese, and replace the beef or chicken with black beans, tofu, or tempeh. You’ll have a delicious, healthy, and guilt-free taco that your party attendees will be sure to ask you for a recipe for before they go.
Grow a Succulent
Climate change brings with it a host of problems, including droughts, increased temperature, and a need for plants to combat the deforestation and urbanization taking place worldwide. Depending on where you live, Cinco de Mayo can provide the perfect opportunity to grow a drought-resistant plant.
While South Africa takes first place in hosting the largest biodiversity of succulents (source), Mexico isn’t far behind. In fact, Mexico is home to 100s of native species of succulents. Agave alone has an estimated 200+ species (source)
Succulents are not only trending on Pinterest and Instagram; they’re also beneficial to the environment, use little water, and can be kept in any sort of container and taken with you when you move.
To celebrate in style, consider buying succulents for your friends, family, or colleagues for this year’s Cinco de Mayo. Not only is it a surprising gift, but it also helps reshape the way we view holidays that are generally geared towards alcohol consumption and partying. By suggesting green alternatives to those traditions, we can help build a healthier community.
Volunteer to Clean Up
After any celebrative holiday, there’s bound to be trash from partygoers. This is especially true for Cinco de Mayo. Traditional parades, dancing, and food all mean that trash is likely to find its way into our environment.
What better way to keep Earth Day strong than to volunteer to clean up? Better yet, orchestrate a local event and make it a group effort. It feels good on a personal level, and it looks good for your work team to take green initiatives.
Party with a Conscience
While it’s easy to get carried away by large parades and parties, you don’t have to compromise on your sustainable lifestyle. You can honor both the Earth and the Mexican holiday by incorporating these eco-friendly tips into your Cinco de Mayo celebration.
Sources:
https://fashionchecker.org/
https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ppp3.25
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Abisai-Garcia-Mendoza/publication/303263665_Distribution_of_Agave_Agavaceae_in_Mexico/links/5b3676cdaca2720785f8e251/Distribution-of-Agave-Agavaceae-in-Mexico.pdf