10 Easy Ways to Be More Sustainable with a Kid's Birthday Party

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.

1. Send e-vites instead of paper invitations.
2. 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.
3. Forgo the balloons.
4. 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.
5. Use durable, reusable cups, plates and utensils for cake and ice cream.
6. 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
   
7. 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.
8. Recycle all wrapping paper and carefully fold gift bags and boxes to be used again.
9. Make your own pinata out of recycled materials. (okay, maybe this one isn't that easy, but if you're crafty, it might be.)
   
10. Send thank you e-cards instead of paper thank you notes.

See - easy (mostly!).