Some useful information, some anecdotes, some rantings, and some inspiration from my quest to make my family and perhaps the world around me A Little Greener Every Day.
Today is my oldest son's 9th birthday. In honor of his special day, today's 10 Easy Ways to Be More Sustainable... is about kid's birthday parties.
Send e-vites instead of paper invitations.
Make your own cake and save a trip to the bakery and the box the cake comes in. Extra sustainability points if you make the cake organic.
Forgo the balloons.
Do not buy favor bags and cheap little favors that will be thrown away as soon as your guest's get home. Send them out the door with a simple big thank you.
Use durable, reusable cups, plates and utensils for cake and ice cream.
If you have a theme, buy only a few items of the theme. You don't need Scooby Doo plates and napkins and a tablecloth and a wall hanging and ... Buy just the tablecloth to add a touch of the theme. Use any items your child already has, like a Scooby Doo stuffed animal, to add to the decorations
Borrow things from friends for the party. Send out an e-mail a week or so before the party that says, "I need four chairs" or "I want to do a bean bag toss" and ask if anyone can you lend you the items.
Recycle all wrapping paper and carefully fold gift bags and boxes to be used again.
Make your own pinata out of recycled materials. (okay, maybe this one isn't that easy, but if you're crafty, it might be.)
Send thank you e-cards instead of paper thank you notes.
jmisgro - that' a good idea. Something that will actually get used (or eaten) and not thrown away to live a long life in a landfill.
In the past, I've always had little bags to fill with the stuff from the pinata and that has been their take-home. But I don't put little plastic toys in the pinata. I buy the good candy - Reese's cups and Snickers, etc. Stuff I know will get eaten. There is still waste from the wrappers, but it's not as bad.
I actually didn't have any take home's for my son's party yesterday, though. Not a single kid asked about it.
I'm a freelance writer, work at home mom, wife to one terrific guy, terrible housekeeper, locavore wannabe, really great friend, amateur photographer, bibliophile and child of God.
I'm also on a quest to make this world a little greener every day.
I'm a freelance writer who has been published in print and extensively online. I write about green living, of course, but I also write about a variety of other topics and do copywriting.
Visit my writer's website at robin.shreeves.net for links to my published works and contact information.
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Today is my oldest son's 9th birthday. In honor of his special day, today's 10 Easy Ways to Be More Sustainable... is about kid's birthday parties.
2 comments:
Depending on what the party is - like a cookie party, the kids decorate cookies and that is their take home!
jmisgro - that' a good idea. Something that will actually get used (or eaten) and not thrown away to live a long life in a landfill.
In the past, I've always had little bags to fill with the stuff from the pinata and that has been their take-home. But I don't put little plastic toys in the pinata. I buy the good candy - Reese's cups and Snickers, etc. Stuff I know will get eaten. There is still waste from the wrappers, but it's not as bad.
I actually didn't have any take home's for my son's party yesterday, though. Not a single kid asked about it.
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