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BANG FOR THE BITE
If 10,000 entrepreneurial Biters use 50 biodegradable cups instead of petroleum-based ones, we'll keep the weight of 208 lemonade-drinkers from hanging around as long as plastic ones.
COCKTAIL FACT
In support of temperance, First Lady Lucy Hayes didn't allow any alcohol into the White House during her hubby's administration, earning her the title "Lemonade Lucy."
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home › tip library › Lemonade Stands
Want your kid's lemonade stand to stand a chance?
The Bite
Help them to eco-ize it. In the rough-and-tumble world of business, kids need to work every angle out there. Not only does green sell, the lemonade'll probably taste better.The Benefits
- Stand-ing up for the environment. In CA alone, more than 2 million pounds of pesticides are sprayed on lemons; every bit of organic lemonade helps.
- A block monopoly. Green is hot - help your kid e-lemon-ate the competition.
Personally Speaking
Check out the blog for our fresh lemonade recipe.Wanna Try?
- Recycled Cardboard Lemonade Stand - pre-constructed stand for high-rolling, mini eco-preneurs ($60).
- Greenware Cups - clear-plastic, 16-ounce biodegradable cups made from corn rather than petroleum ($8/50).
- Cascadian Farm Lemonade Concentrate - tart, organic lemonade concentrate that serves six ($4).
- Other Ideas - use organic or local ingredients from the farmers market to make the lemonade; in lieu of disposable cups, offer glasses or mugs for sip 'n' chatters; use old boxes to make the stand; advertise that a portion of profits goes to charity; and (our personal fave) give discounts to people who bike or walk up to the stand, rather than drive.
Jun 13,2008
Sponsor
All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
When Life Gives You Lemons…
I grew up on the top of a hill. A very steep hill - uphill both ways, etc. Any and all wheeled activities were pretty much out of the question, as was selling anything at the top of a street that nobody dared to climb. Alas, I didn't lemonade stand as a kid. To make up for my childhood deprivation, my equally scarred friends and I compensate on Sundays in Dolores Park with the following recipe (if you're like me, you will add tequila to taste):
- 6 cups filtered or spring water
- 2 cups mild organic honey or to taste
- 2 to 2 1/4 cups fresh squeezed organic lemon juice, strained to remove seeds and pulp (about 12 lemons)
Heat the water, then add honey, stirring until completely dissolved. Allow this to cool. Stir in lemon juice. Pour into a serving pitcher and chill in the refrigerator until cold. Sell or share, and enjoy.
-Assistant Editor Hanah...off to de-bitter...
Biter Comments...
What does this have to do at all with being green? Good for Hanah, but what can I do to actually reduce my carbon footprint. Leave the unrelated blogs out, your readers could care less.
I must start out by saying that I love your site and have always appreciated your advice. Today however, Yikes! I was taken aback by the $60 cardboard lemonade stand. What's so eco about buying a pre-made stand? Why not spend time with your children building one out of cardboard boxes left in your neighbor's alley, or decorating the folding table that remains shoved in the corner of the basement? Only in the US does one seemingly have to be a millionaire to be eco!
I didn't like today's Bite. By my calculations, a kid needs to sell 50 cups of lemonade for $1.84 just to break even.
While it's wonderful to think of ways for even children to participate in living greener lives, I think it's sending the wrong message to our kids that an eco-friendly business only caters to the wealthy.
Ditch the stand for the card table in the garage (reuse reuse reuse- don't buy new!), borrow mom's coffee cups and card table, and get some lemons from the farmer's market. That's the way to go in my book.
Good post, Maureen! Well stated. I agree with most of what you say.
While in theory this is a good tip, a $60.00 stand is going overboard, as is that Cascadian Farm Lemonade Concentrate. (Six servings at $4.00 works out to 67 cents per serving. YIKES! Who's gonna run this stand, Richie Rich? If Newman's Own Virgin Lemonade comes in a mix, get that instead, that way, you'll also be giving to charity at the same time.) The Greenware cups sound pretty good, although a tad on the pricey side, but at least they're biodegradable. I wouldn't use reusable cups/glasses/mugs, though, that's WAY too unsanitary, ICK! I also wouldn't offer a discount to those who bike or walk up to the stand rather than drive up in a car or other motorized conveyance, that's discriminatory. It's just as discriminatory as a gas station offering a 20-cent per gallon discount to customers who pay cash rather than with a credit or debit card. (We've just passed a law in Connceticut allowing gas stations to do just that. Some stations were doing that some years ago, too.)
I think the lemonade stand is a great ideal not only for the the childern to learn about money but also for the childern and parents to get out and do something together. I also notice today childern do not get enough time outside in the sunshine and as you know the sun is loaded with vitiamin D. Just remember the sunscreen. One thing I have started is my own garden and getting back to growing and preserving my vegetables and from the garden. I use to enjoy doing this with my grandmother and mother when I was growing up and now I do it for my family. The way the enviroment is today I think it is good for people to get back to the things that help our earth to take care of it self and to enjoy each other enjoying the good food from it. Not is good for us but also helps the Honeybees and other good bugs. There's nothing like a good tomato grown organic by your own hands and garden.
Get dirty and enjoy the earth.
Sonia
What's up with my tip coming at 5 PM central time?? I see others got it ealier(10 A M). Was there a problem in the Chicago area?? My Chicago bite was late, too. Ideal Bite has never been about doing things creatively/inexpensively. It's all about buying expensive so-called eco-things rather than using your imagination & using/reusing what you already have. There's no money to be made in that. That the side of green that I don't like.
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I have no plans to set up a lemonade stand but I did make a damn good lemonade with my mom yesterday with no need to buy concentrate or actually squeeze lemons... Quarter the lemons, remove seeds and throw them in blender with sugar and water; then strain into pitcher and add water/ice to taste. We did 2 lemons, 1/2 cup sugar and 4 cups water in blender, filled pitcher rest of way with ice, few lemon slices and some of the lemon zest mush that got strained out. It was delicious but I think would have been even better with a little honey... For those of us who are drinkers - it would make an excellent base for a cocktail. Oh and the rest of the lemon/sugar mush was rubbed on the chicken before it was thrown on the grill - also delicious!
Excellent tip Beck, i will try to make the lemonade this weekend.
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Posted by: Linda | June 13, 2008 at 10:08 AM