You can host parties and back yard BBQ’s while also protecting the environment.

That’s the message from the Green Action Centre, which is hosting a Plastic Free Patio Party tonight. The party is the final event in a series of Plastic Free July events.

“Tonight’s party is a celebration of what we’ve been able to do through the month of July and all of the activities that people have done to avoid single-use plastics,” Green Action Centre Living Green, Living Well Coordinator Bethany Daman said. “We also want to show people that a sustainable party is possible, so we are serving everything in glass and compostable containers, and we’ll also have facts for people who come in.”

“We’re trying to draw people in and teach them about the current situation surrounding single-use plastics.”

40 per cent of plastics are single-use, according to Daman. She adds plastic is made from fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources, so it has negative effects for the planet, humans and wildlife.

“The Sea Turtle Conservancy says 100 million marine animals are killed every year due to plastic debris in the ocean,” Daman said. “Then the marine life that does survive is still affected and it ends up in our own food system.”

Daman says the plastic situation is at a crisis level, and the Green Action Centre wants to do its part to encourage people to eliminate single-use plastics.

“All the plastic that’s ever been produced is still around and will be around until the end of time,” Daman said. “It just breaks down into micro plastics and will never truly go away and it’s ending up in our soil or our oceans.”

“You don’t need your single-use plastic bag when you can use reusable bags, if you are physically able to drink without a plastic straw then don’t take one, or bring your own cutlery with you,” she continued. “Those things are not worth the harm we’re doing to our planet.”

Tonight’s event is taking place at the Downtown Winnipeg Biz Portage and Hargrave Pop-Up Park, located at 323 Portage Ave.

Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased online or at the door.