Recently I had a birthday party at the Lush in Leicester and I had to write about how you can throw a wonderful party which is fun in an eco-friendly way. Most parties create bags of waste that isn’t recycled and this can all be avoided in creative ways.
Invitations
Avoid paper invitations, and use the free and green options available online. One of he most popular ways is Facebook- where you can have an information page and keep track of the R.S.V.Ps. It is all pretty easy to set up if you are already regularly on Facebook (let’s face it most people are).
Not having paper invitations doesn’t mean you can’t have style- create a beautiful invitation using a graphics program (GIMP is an excellent free option if you don’t have PhotoShop). Evite.com is a useful site if you do not use Facebook and is an easy way to send quirky and stylish invitations.
If you still want to have paper invitations (perhaps your guests are not web savvy) be creative- use recycled paper or reuse old photographs to make individual scrapbook style invitations. You could forsake the paper altogether and bake cookies or cupcakes with the party details written on them in icing. No waste- just great taste!
Decorations
The key to eco friendly decorations is to opt for reusable items. Try potted plants instead of flowers. As I learned at my Lush party cupcakes are a big winner- so create eye-catching ones like these and use them instead of decorations. As Lush staff set everything up I’m not sure but I am guessing the tablecloth will be reused for other parties. I would have just used an old saree; old sarees are wonderful as back drops or to section off areas in your home for the party. Choose colourful ones to create a party atmosphere.
As my party was held in-store at Lush we had no need for decorations- the shop is lovely and colourful and the scent of essential oils had all participants in a wonderful mood. If you are having a party at home- the best way to make eco friendly decorations is to get any children to make them. Paper chains made from old newspapers or threading popcorn are just two simple ways of making waste free decorations. To make it more personal -put up old photographs of the person whose party it is. If you feel that it’s not a party without balloons then check out Eco Party Bags for biodegradable options as well as ethical party bags.
Food
The best food is organic and home grown as it lowers your carbon imprint. Getting produce from local farmers cuts down on the energy used to ship the food, food is likely to be fresher too. Remember to take a canvas shopping bag to eliminate the need for carrier bags. Alternatively the Guardian Eco Store is also a good place to get organic food and party hampers.
Remember that vegan food is more eco friendly as it wastes less water and creates a far less carbon imprint than meat and dairy. Carrot, cucumber and celery sticks are ideal snacks accompanied by humus. My vegan cookie monster cupcakes were a big winner at the party and were a fun conversation starter. My cupcakes got a little squashed in my reusable tub so I would advise people to invest in a pretty cupcake carrier if transporting food to avoid my mistake.
Tableware
The number one waste free option is to use your own real plates. If you want to avoid washing dishes altogether source some tableware which biodegrade naturally such as the wooden ones available on Party Ark where you can also get unbleached recycled napkins resulting in eco friendly disposable tableware.
If you are a sucker for solar powered pretty items then these solar coasters are a nice buy. The solar powered light provided by the coasters look amazing, and also mean you may get away with less lighting at the party.
After the Party
Have your recycling bags at the ready, and separate your glass/tins/ plastics according to how your council collects. Be sure to wash the tins (this is a good way of reusing any “grey water” after washing up). Make sure any food scraps go in a compost bin- though the best thing to do is make sure there aren’t any food scraps and leftovers are bagged for guests to take with them.
Use natural cleaning products such as Ecover or better still make your own using vinegar, soap and baking soda.
Found this article useful? Please make a small donation to keep the site running.
any chance of letting us in on the cookie monster recipe, they look amazing and yummy!