Picnic Perfect Plastics

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#2 HDPE (high-density polyethylene) is durable and widely recyclable.

#4 LDPE (low-density polyethylene) is used in some food wraps and sandwich bags.

#5 PP (polypropylene) is popular in reusable containers, though not frequently recycled.

What You Can Do

Avoid leaving water in any plastic bottle in the heat.

Hand wash reusable bottles gently.

Don't reuse PET bottles.

Fill reusable bottles with your own tap water, filtered if necessary (see the Water Filters Product Report).

Picnic Products

Best Choices

For an alternative to plastic, try the Thermos Stainless Steel Beverage Bottle #2550. With a stainless-steel exterior and interior, it keeps beverages cold or soups, coffee and tea hot 10 times longer than plastic bottles ($27; www.thermos.com, 800-831-9242). Or try Sigg's .6-liter Oval Traveler Reusable Bottle in stainless steel ($19.95; www.reusablebags.com, 888-707-3873).

Corn-Based Cups and Cutlery (see Plastics Graduate to Green:

• Nat-Ur Outdoor Picnic Set-10 cups, 10 forks, 10 spoons, 10 knives, fruit "biocontainer" and trash bag ($10.80; www.nat-urstore.com)
  
• Greenware cold-drink cups ($8.50/sleeve of 50 12-oz. cups; www.pladirect.com, 303-449-1876)
  
• Biodegradable cups, cutlery and straws (www.greenearthofficesupply.com, 800-327-8449)
  

Best Plastics

Food Friendly Favorites:

#2 HDPE:

• Carlisle 2-qt. StorPlus square, white food container ($2.27; www.instawares.com)
  
• HDPE half-gal., wide-mouth storage container ($6.95; www.hdpe-containers.com, 800-936-9962)