When doing your best to live sustainably, you’re probably always on the lookout for some tips that will help you be more mindful of the environment. From adjusting your shopping habits to starting your own organic garden to switching to renewable energy, there are many ways how we can care for Earth. With that in mind, if you’re having a celebration any time soon, you want to think about how you can minimize the impact that your party might have on the planet. Here are some ideas that can help you be eco-friendly while celebrating with your friends and family.
Make the invitations eco-friendly
For starters, if you’re thinking about formally inviting guests by sending out invitations, you should consider opting only for electronic ones. Use ecards or send your friends an email with all the details. While they might not seem as pretty and personal as paper invitations, you are being eco-friendly by doing this. This is the best option for casual parties or birthdays. On the other hand, for weddings and black-tie events, paper invitations are usually the norm. For this, make sure you look for invitations made from recycled paper.
Think about the location
Of course, before you send out the invitations, you need to secure a venue for your party. Although you could do it at home or in your yard, you can also think about having the party at a spot that will provide you with the right environment. While you might have to get some permits, you can look into zoos, farms, and local parks. Here, you will be surrounded by nature and various animals that can really show you why living sustainably is important.
Reuse and hire equipment
Regardless of the location, you want to be sustainable when equipping it. For example, there is no need to buy 30 more chairs and 2 new tables for your party to be able to seat everyone. See if you can use some items that you already have around the house or consider asking your neighbors to lend you a few dining chairs for the event. There are also companies that you can turn to that rent everything from rugs and furniture to table centrepieces and candle holders. That way, you are not purchasing countless single-use items that you will have nowhere to store. However, keep in mind that you should still work with local businesses that will not add to the carbon footprint by having items imported from across the world.
Decorate sustainably
The same goes for decorations. If you’re looking to add a little bit of nature to your party, ask a local florist whether they rent greenery. Then, when getting confetti, balloons, and other décor, you want to go for eco-friendly alternatives. For instance, use paper confetti as it is biodegradable. If the paper is not an option, at least make sure the confetti is not too small so that you can clean it up properly. Lastly, it’s even better to use bubbles instead of confetti. Additionally, keep in mind that there are many eco-friendly alternatives to balloons such as fabric bunting, paper flowers, and pinwheels.
Skip wrapping gifts
While some people recommend skipping gift bags altogether, you might still want to show your love and appreciation to people that mean a lot to you. With that in mind, if you order unique gift baskets for everyone, you can at least skip wrapping them. They will arrive skillfully packed and there is no need to use more foil, wrapping paper, or plastic bags. The people close to you will love them regardless of whether you wrapped them up yourself or not. When it comes to gifts, you can opt for everything from organic snacks to something more practical like recycled toothbrushes. Your goal here is to give them something that will not go to waste.
Develop a green menu
As chances are high that you will also be serving food at your party, you want to develop a green menu. If you have your own organic garden, you should consider offering these clean foods at the event. Cutting up veggies and serving them with a dip is a great snack option. Having fresh fruits is another healthy snack you could provide your guests with. You can also make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with whole wheat bread, organic peanut butter, and jelly from a local organic farm. If you decide to hire a caterer, you should look into them and see whether they are practising sustainability. Moreover, make sure you use biodegradable food utensils if you don’t have any reusable ones and avoid Styrofoam.
Come up with interesting games and activities
No matter if this is a kid’s birthday party, corporate event, or holiday celebration, you can always think about having some games in your pocket, in case there’s a lull in the conversation. Luckily, eco-friendly games and crafts abound. For example, you can try potting plants and let your guests take their plants home. Then, making birdhouses and beeswax candles are also interesting projects you and your friends can try. When it comes to eco-friendly games, why not organize a scavenger hunt that will have you walk around parks and various other natural elements? You can also have potato sack races or make your own piñata.
Be eco-conscious during cleanup
Finally, once the party is over, you want to be eco-conscious when cleaning up after yourself and your guests. For starters, if you weren’t able to use ingredients without packaging, you want to begin by separating materials. Put glass bottles in one pile, cans in another, and plastic in another. Put each of the piles in the corresponding recycling bin. If there is any food remaining, decide if you’ll put it in your freezer, divide it among guests, or compost it to minimize waste. Check if you can donate the leftovers as well. Furthermore, you also want to use non-toxic cleaners to wash everything that can be reused.
If you’re planning a celebration, you want to keep these tips in mind in order to be sustainable. From working with local suppliers to coming up with interesting activities, there is a lot you can do to be kind to our planet.
