It’s said that ‘AWARENESS’ is the first step to making a change, so if an old dog like Miss Party can be taught a few new eco-tricks, take a look at the lists below to see if you can make a few new and improved eco-party choices too. This post is the continuation of “Forever Green”, Part 1.
Miss Party isn’t on a guilt trip or pointing pointy fingers, though. You may already have a standing reservation on board the eco-train and that’s awesome. No matter your level of eco-enlightenment, though, the truth is if each hostess makes a couple of earth-friendly party planning alterations to their status quo than they did the time before, we’ll all be making a positive difference towards a party that’s “Forever Green”. Your guests and the earth will love you for it!
BEST Eco-Party Choices:
-Use/rent fabric tablecloths as your first choice, plastic-coated fabric tablecloths or bolt fabric cut to size also good alternatives
-Use/rent cloth napkins instead of paper
-Rent party goods when large quantities are needed instead of buying disposable party goods (this can be a hard choice to make when a tight budget is involved, but at least consider it)
-Use/rent stainless silverware and serving utensils instead of plastic utensils
-Reuse clean, glass, food safe beverage bottles
-Use/rent glass or BPA-free, heavy-weight plastic, reusable barware for beverages instead of disposable plastic glasses
-Use/rent glass, china, ceramic or melamine plates, serving bowls and platters
-Use BPA-free, food safe, reusable, heavyweight plastic party serving bowls and platters
-Use ceramic mugs instead of disposable hot beverage cups (never use styrofoam cups) (years ago Miss Party purchased 25 white coffee mugs at a discount store for $1 a piece and used them for dozens of parties)
-Use biodegradable bamboo or wooden food picks made from sustainable materials (don’t purchase wooden toothpicks with plastic frills) or plastic mini serving utensils that are reusable
-Strive for trash-free hors d’oeuvres (make the entire piece edible with no picks, utensils, mini cups or plates)
-Use eco-friendly paper party goods: napkins, appetizer/dessert, lunch and dinner plates and bowls that can be rinsed and recycled; have a percentage of post-consumer recycled content, or are made of a renewable natural resource
-Serve water or punch in pitchers, bowls or beverage dispensers with biodegradable paper cups instead of individual plastic water and juice bottles (plastic bottles in our landfills are a huge problem)
-Send E-invitations (extremely cost-conscious, too!) OR
-Send paper invitations that are made from paper with recycled post consumer content and/or are made from a renewable energy resource
-Save and reuse party decor materials and containers rather than buying everything new
-Give edible party favors (unwanted “tchotchke’s” end up in landfills)
BETTER Eco-Party Choices:
-Use disposable paper tablecloths instead of disposable plastic (when fabric isn’t practical)
-Use heavyweight plastic utensils that can be washed and reused for future parties (if stainless isn’t practical)
-Use plastic party goods that WILL be rinsed and recycled or washed and reused OR
-Use paper party goods that have a percentage of post-consumer recycled content, are made of a renewable natural resource and are compostable
-Recycle all individual aluminum cans and plastic water and beverage bottles (if large quantity beverage dispensers aren’t practical)
WORST Eco-Party Choices:
-Do not use styrofoam cups, bowls, or plates (they are NOT biodegradable now or ever –your great, great, great-grandchildren will still be dealing with today’s styrofoam in their landfills)
-Do not throw rice at a wedding (birds and small animals eat rice–rice expands–birds and small animals die)
-Do not release helium balloons into the sky (no good comes to the earth, sky or animals)
-Try not to use lightweight, disposable, (non-recyclable) plastic tablecloths / paper is a better disposable alternative
-Do not encourage guests to throw recycling containers into the regular trash bins because they don’t know what else to do with their ‘empties’– Provide “Recycle” receptacles for guests’ cans and bottles (plastic bottles in our landfills is a huge problem)
PLEASE make a concerted effort to properly recycle ALL aluminum cans, rinsed aluminum foil, glass bottles, plastic bottles, recyclable rinsed plastic food containers, paper and cardboard used before, during and after each and every party. Make it as easy as possible for guests to help with this endeavor, by providing separate “Recycle” receptacles which are clearly marked and easily found near the garbage bins.
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Product Information:
-”Nature’s Own Green Label” 100% paper plates certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, made in USA
-”Every Ware” Compostable, biodegradable dinnerware, made from 100% sugarcane pulp
-”Amscan” – “Eco-Party” line of paper party goods, made from 100% recycled paper, 65% post consumer content for napkins and 35% for paper plates
-”Paper Source” – “Paper Bag” card stock and envelopes, made from 100% recycled paper; “Birds & Leaves” Invitations, made from 30% recycled paper, both use a Renewable Energy Source
-”Flings Pop-up Recycle Bin” – portable, reusable, holds up to 60 cans
-”One Hundred 80 Degrees” – “It’s Not Paper!” melamine dishes and drinking cups that mimic disposable paper plates and plastic cups, dishwasher safe, heavyweight, reusable
-Also, check out “Zig Zag Pots” and “Recycled Glass Beverage Bottles”.
Source:
“The Paper Source”: invitation goods, melamine plates and cups
“iParty”: paper party goods and recycling bin
Vintage crazy quilt pictured – Handmade by Lillian Diehl
Disclamer: Miss Party is not necessarily endorsing any of the above products or being paid by any party to do so, nor may Miss Party be held liable for any claims made by these products.
