It Ain't Easy Bein' Green!

Ever since I owned my own Camp, I wanted it to be as environmentally sensitive as possible.

 I quickly found out though, that it wasn't so easy- if I wanted to stay in business!



The cost of paper plates vs. styrofoam plates is STAGGERING.  We're talking 10:1.  So you could spend $5000 on plates, or $50,000 on plates.  Repeat: $50,000 on paper plates (the good ones that don't fall apart when they get some sauce on them). So sadly, Liberty Lake, for the first 10 years used styrofoam plates with our plastic cups- much to my dismay.


Every year I re-examined it.  Every year, the same answer.  Every year, we sighed and kept doing it- Until this winter...


This winter, we went to every paper goods supplier we could find, seeking out CLOSE-OUTS. I told them that I didn't care what was on the plates- Birthdays, Bar Mitzvahs, Superheroes, etc. Turns out that you can get closeout paper products at only 2-3 times the price of styrofoam- That pill, I can swallow!


So this summer, every Monday morning, Chef John runs to open up the next big cardboard box in our shed- This week... BIRTHDAY PRINCESS plates!  So not only are we GREENER than ever before, but now the kids get a big chuckle every day at lunch, depending on what's on the plates!  I think it has been hilarious- worth the extra money just for that!


Besides the plates, we are using paper cone cups at all the water coolers, we bought a composter, we expanded our garden and bought a greenhouse- and we are using our vegetables at lunch in the salad bar and in our pasta salad!


The Green Team elective, under the supervision of Chris Van Sciver and Tara Rambo (and overseen by Brandi Carnivale) look for ways for us to recycle, and be smart about the environment- I'm so proud of them, and all the Liberty Lakers for buying into our vision of being Green at Liberty Lake- If you have any ideas, please send them our way!!!  fun@libertylakedaycamp.com 


Andy Pritikin
Liberty Lake- Owner, Director