Green Tip #23

“The Green Party”

We have seen a lot of scarlet and gray, orange and black, red, white and blue lately with football, Halloween and Election Day parties.  With many gatherings to come before the New Year, make sure there is a lot of the color “green” when you plan a celebration.

From birthday parties to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to New Year’s galas, there are simple things one can do to entertain in an eco-friendly fashion.  When designing your get-together make a difference by putting a little bit of thought into your planning.  Today’s green tip mentions ideas for how to create a more green party (not the political one) from invites to food to serving ware to gifts to party favors to décor to clothing.

It’s easy to be easy on the environment when sending invitations.  Most people use email and don’t mind receiving evites (email invitations).  Just search online for “evites” and different sites (free ones) will come up with various party invitation styles.  If you are still stuck in the horse and buggy days (like I wish I was much of the time) and insist on sending paper invites, then choose paper and envelopes with a high-recycled paper content (100% is the best).  Creative people can make their own recycled paper invites.

When planning your menu, keep organic, local seasonal and/or fair trade items in mind.  Shop your farmer’s markets (some continue through winter months), health stores or local grocer for these items.  For baking consider Fair Trade ingredients such as chocolate, vanilla and sugar.  To make baked goods healthier, venture out and try some different whole grains such as spelt, amaranth, soy, rice, wild rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat.  Most of these alternative grains can be found in flour form at your local health food store.  The Berlin Bakery (Berlin, OH) makes wonderful spelt baked goods if you aren’t a baker.  Most health stores and organic sections carry this regional brand.  For drinks, remember to choose glass and aluminum over plastic containers.  Serve organic/Fair Trade coffee and tea.  Don’t forget to have a pitcher of purified water (no bottled!) from your at-home water filter system.

When serving food, try to stay away from plastics and Styrofoam.  For small and medium parties, use real good old-fashioned dishes (glass, ceramic, stainless steel) and cloth napkins.  Short on service wear?  Borrow from someone or purchase a various assortment from an antique store or flea market.  For larger gatherings, find paper plates with a high percentage of recycled content; reuse plastic utensils from a previous party (or ones saved from restaurants) and purchase recycled napkins.  Search online for sustainable serving ware.

Go out on a limb when it comes to party favors and hostess gifts.  Skip the party favors. Instead, make a donation to your favorite charity or foundation.  When sending your invitations, request that in lieu of hostess gifts, guests can donate to a charity of their choice or yours.  One New Year’s Eve party, we asked guests to bring money and horse feed for some battered horses that the humane society was fostering.

Look to nature for decorating ideas and inspiration.  Whether you are a city dweller or live in the country, take a look in your garden or landscape to see what fresh or dried plants you can trim to make a unique arrangement.  Forget to do a fall pruning?  Clip some juniper or holly and throw them in a glass vase.  If you need some new décor, buy used.  Stay away from plastics.  Use real, from the earth, biodegradable décor such as gourds, pumpkins and pinecones.

Dressing for parties is easy for me.  I just go to my antique cedar closet and pull out one of about 20 classic party outfits that I have had for the last 10-15 years.  Most of them are hand-me-downs from relatives that I cherish!  You will be amazed at what unique and interesting pieces you can find at thrift stores.  Shopping this way is not only sustainable, but is a great way to define who you are.  Chances are that no one else will have your outfit!

Finally, don’t forget to have a well-marked recycling bin and compost container available for guests.