Sorry it's been a while, folks! We've been busy checking out ideas for everyone as we know it's that time of year again when parties are being prepared and dinners are being set for the holidays. Today, we are proud to present our ideas for a totally eco-friendly gathering!
Eco Invitations
Recycled
paper invitations are the obvious choice, but they’re not the only
choice. How about getting creative and with the help of your child
making your own – this will give the party a personal touch and is a fun
way of using pictures from old cards or even leaves and flowers from
the garden. But without a doubt the greenest invitation of all is one
that saves on stamps and trees.
Think local when planning your menu
Leave your taste for global delicacies behind as you plan the
menu for your eco-friendly party. Buying locally produced food is one of
the best things you can do to stay green, since it takes a tremendous
amount of fuel to get those global delicacies to your table. Instead of
Brie, buy locally produced artisan cheese for a nice change. Same goes
for wine. Discover wineries in your area and serve that to your thirsty
guests instead of a wine from thousands of miles away. Grass-fed beef
burgers are another good idea for organic meal ideas, as well as locally
produced baked goods and desserts. Also, now that the farmer’s market
season is revving up, that’s the perfect place to find what’s in season
(in your area) and save as well.
A few more food-related ideas
Have at least one dish that’s completely animal product-free.
The reason is two-fold: 1) More and more people are cutting meat out of
their diets, so you never know if a guest will be Vegan/Vegetarian. 2)
Meat production is considered another strain on the environment. By
concocting a delicious animal-free dish, you’re showing your guests that
animal-free doesn’t mean free of taste. And instead of plastic wrap for
leftovers, use tin foil since it can be recycled (dirty tin foil
however cannot be). And if you like interactive desserts, what better
than providing the makings for s’mores, using organic chocolate and
having your guests find their own twigs (if the party has access to
trees/yard), which they can use for toasting their marshmallows.
Don’t forget the beverages
Whether you’re serving up beer, wine or cocktails to your
guests, again, think local. Beer is produced everywhere nowadays, same
goes for wine. Search away until you find alcohol that was made as close
to your residence as possible. And while it may be tricky to find
locally produced Vodka or Gin, you can at least make sure the mixers are
local, such as using local fruit and either juicing it, mashing it or
however else you’d like. And if there are no wineries in your area, you
can buy organic wine. Frog’s Leap and BonTerra are two great options.
Decorate to please the Green Gods
A little creative ingenuity can go a long way in this area.
From repurposing bandanas as napkins to using large leaves as name tags
for which to write your guests names, there are many ways to be green.
Instead of buying water bottles, serve up filtered tap water in old wine
bottles. And for the tableware, other than using REAL plates, cups,
silverware, etc, you can also buy biodegradable disposable tableware
from Whole Foods (their 365 store brand of tableware), offering
disposable plates and bowls made from sugar cane. And locally grown
flowers, or mini trees that you plant afterwards, are an easy way to
decorate your table and home for your eco-fete. Reusable centerpieces,
such as bowls or veggies and/or fruit, also work.
How creative you are my dear!! I couldn’t even imagine doing all this. All these party tips are awesome. Before starting party decorations, we should clean the venue properly. I always use green cleaning products for that. What kind of products do you use friend?
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