What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about parties? It’s balloons, food, and drinks, good music, right? Hosting parties while being a great opportunity to gather all your loved ones in one place and make some amazing memories, can also be pretty wasteful and unsustainable.
But who says that you have to sacrifice sustainability to host an amazing party? That’s right, you can host a fun, eco-friendly party with just a tad bit more planning than usual. If you’re in the mood to throw a green gathering, here is a guide that will come in handy.
1. Sustainable dishware
Let’s start with something easy – party dishware. When hosting a party, people usually opt for plastic or single-use dishware that will make it easy for them to deal with at the end of the party. While this is a logical way of thinking, it’s not the most eco-friendly one.
Plastic dishware and flatware once it ends up in the garbage will contribute to the massive landfills of plastic waste. Similarly, single-use, disposal paper plates, and bowls aren’t recyclable, which means that they too will end up in a landfill. Instead, for your green party opt for recyclable or reusable dishware. Either use dishware and flatware you have at home or use reusable party dishware. There are many great reusable bamboo dishware sets that you will love.
2. Party food
When it comes to party food, waste is the biggest problem. A lot of the uneaten food from the parties ends up in the garbage. Similarly, buying pre-packaged, pre-made food only contributes to carbon emissions. Not only is the packaging harmful for our environment but also processed foods are linked to greenhouse gas emissions.
What you can do is make food yourself by using locally produced, organic produce. The other option is buying in bulk to avoid harmful packaging. You also have the option of preparing vegan and vegetarian plant-based dishes. When preparing food, think about the exact amounts to minimize the waste. The last option is donating the leftover food to a local shelter or food bank.
3. Drinks
As far as party beverages go, the best you can do is ditch the plastic bottles. Instead, consider using glass drink dispensers. Make homemade drinks that can be made in large quantities. Drinks such as lemonade, infused water, sangria, iced tea, and so on. When buying alcoholic drinks, make sure you buy them in bulk, especially if you’re hosting a huge party. Otherwise, you can buy alcohol in recyclable materials such as glass or aluminium cans.
If you want to go a step further, you can get all your guests fun personalised stubby holders. These holders are a great way to keep the hands warm and drinks cool throughout the party, and also a great party favour as well.
4. Eco-friendly decorations
The easiest way to decorate a party is by buying party supplies from a store, but unfortunately, that’s not a very sustainable way. To make your party décor more eco-friendly, you have various options. For example, you can repurpose your home décor. Use vases, plants, picture frames, string lights, garlands, and other similar decorative items you have on hand.
Then, if you don’t have enough, you can buy second-hand décor from the closest thrift shop. In case you’re having a huge party, think about renting out décor. Numerous companies rent party décor. As for balloons, we know you love them, but they are not very eco-friendly. But don’t worry, you can still have balloons at your party, they just need to be reusable. And, yes, there is such a thing as reusable balloons!
If you want confetti at your party, you can use leaves as a confetti material. Gather leaves, dry them, and punch out holes, and voila – eco-friendly confetti!
5. Games and entertainment
Party games and entertainment shouldn’t be a problem. In addition to board games, you can also play typical party games such as scavenger hunts, charades, or Pictionary. But that’s not all. To make sure your party is 100% eco-friendly, you can use tech as entertainment.
You can hire a photo booth, karaoke machine, dancing floor, VR headsets and so much more. Entertainment tech is sustainable so you won’t have to worry about leaving a carbon footprint.
6. Gifts and party favors
If you can, skip the party favours. And if you can’t, make sure the gifts and favours are eco-friendly. We already mentioned that stubby holders can be a great party favour, but that’s not all. If you’re crafty and creative, you can give your guests homemade candles, soaps, treats, plants, and other interesting but eco-friendly bits and bobs. Pack the gifts in materials that can be reused later or that are biodegradable. Cellulose, craft paper, bamboo, hemp, and so on.
7. Put out recycling bins
When there is a party, especially a huge party, litter and garbage are inevitable. That’s why you should make sure that you put out enough recycling bins. Ensure that your guests have where to dispose of garbage and recyclables they end up with. This way, not only are you ensuring that you have less cleaning to do after the party is done, but you’re also saving the environment.
8. Invitations
For your party, instead of regular printed invites, send digital ones. Regular invitations usually require paper, paper envelopes, and on top, you have to pay postage stamps. To avoid using paper and having additional expenses, try making online invitations and sending them via e-mail to your guests. There are several free sites that you can use to create beautiful, creative invitations. Similarly, instead of using paper labels at your party, be creative. Use chalkboards or other recyclable/reusable materials.
9. Let the guests know
If you’re organizing an eco-friendly party, make sure you let your guests know. If you want, you can even involve them and let them help you recycle, reuse, and reduce. What they can do is support your cause and effort is recycle and keep the waste to a minimum.
Conclusion
And there you have it. The only difference between organizing a regular and an eco-friendly party is in the effort and planning. Organizing a green party takes a tad bit more time and effort than a regular one. Hope this guide helps you organize your first green party.
Also, read: 5 Ways to Prevent Food Poisoning at Home
