Ahhh, summer . . . when the fresh air and sunshine make hosting holiday parties, birthday bashes and backyard barbecues even more appealing. But is it possible to throw a party that’s fun, creative and eco-friendly? Turns out, it is. Here are nine easy ways we’ve found to green up your summer shindigs.
1.
Send e-vites instead of paper invitations, and create your own decor using items you have on hand, like these from Spruce.com.
2.
Avoid one-time-use paper napkins, tablecloths and plasticware. Instead, use your regular tablecloth and display your everyday flatware, dishes and cloth napkins in pretty baskets to make a more elegant, Earth-friendly statement.
3.
Even utensils and napkins made from recycled materials are more environmentally friendly than those made of virgin paper and plastic. (And if disposable simply can’t be avoided, look for those that are compostable or biodegradable.)
4.
Serve water, tea and lemonade from pitchers instead of from plastic bottles. If you use plastic or paper cups for your drinks, be sure to set out a marker so people can write their names on their cups—and therefore be more likely to use only one.
5.
Use additive-free charcoal, which emits less pollution than regular charcoal. And remember, gas, propane and electric grills burn more efficiently than wood or charcoal.
6.
Speaking of grills, you’ll want to make sure yours is clean. Instead of a caustic, lye-based cleaner, use an enzyme-based oven and grill cleaner to reduce the chance of either accidentally ingesting or breathing in harmful chemicals.
7.
Place a few clearly marked bins around the area for any recyclables, like plastic cups, two-liter bottles and aluminum cans.
8.
Include a compost bin too, for any food that would otherwise be discarded.
9.
Keep mosquitoes and other insects at bay. Remove any standing water from the area and offer guests one of these 4 botanical repellents to protect against insects. For evening parties, citronella candles offer the double benefit of ambiance as well as insect control.
Do you plan to entertain outdoors this summer? What steps will you take to ensure your party is Earth-friendly? We’d love to hear from you! Just leave us a comment below.Resources:
We do most of the ideas given, but I really love the compost bin idea!! We will be doing that from now on.
While I do like the idea of cloth table covers and napkins, what about the water that is used to clean them? Is that not a waste of resources, too??? Jus’ saying’…
Love the compost idea
I didn’t even know additive-free charcoal was an option, so I’ll definitely be checking that out! I also love the compost bucket idea, and if you don’t compost, that food waste can go in your yard bin, where it is composted for fertilizer, etc.
We always do e-vites for all events and use a marker on cups! If our party is a reasonably manageable number we use our washable cups, plates and silverware too! We ALWAYS recycle, but I love the idea of the additive free charcoal – didn’t know about that fact! Thanks for the tips!!
Thrift/resale stores are a great place to get plenty of flatware to use in these types of situations!
What a great idea, Stacy! Thank you for sharing. You could also use your thrift store flatware on camping trips and picnics too!
So many great ideas! We already use cloth napkins and water pitchers and reusable water bottles. Love the other comment suggesting thrift stores for getting extra flatware for entertaining.
I do most of these ideas. I love to do a compost bin. I have recently stopped purchasing paper plates. Kids are not as prone to use them without thinking since they would have to wash a dish. Marker on the cups I learned that from going to my sons kindergarten class trip lol
Great tips! Thanks for sharing! <3
Your e-invite could say BYOplacesetting. This used to be standard practice in my grandma’s day. We need to get back to it.
That’s a great suggestion! Thanks for sharing, Kim.