How to Have a Zero-Waste Easter Party

In preparation for Easter, we're taking a short break from our Going Organic series - but don't worry - we'll be back next week to wrap up!

This week we'll be sharing some fun and eco-friendly ways to celebrate the holiday in ways that are healthy for both you and the planet. Easter is a time of celebration and renewal. It’s also a great time to embrace earth-friendly practices. If you’re throwing an Easter party, you can make it a green one by having a zero waste party. Here’s how.

#1.  Use E-Vites. Invitations can now be sent via email. There are some extremely useful programs you can use online. These programs allow you to send email invites quickly and easily. They also keep track of who RSVP’d and many offer a message board so people can ask questions about the party. Electronic invitations mean you don’t have to use any paper or ink. They’re 100% electronic. A couple of the more popular ones are Evite.com, and Eventbrite.com. And if you have people you want to invite and they don’t use email, consider giving them a phone call.

Please Recycle Label (Photo credits: www.recyclereminders.com)

#2. Use  Recycled or Reusable Party Ware. Plates, napkins, glasses and all party decorations can be made from recycled materials. You can also use your own every day real or reusable dishes, or if you’re going to have a large party, consider renting dishes. You can also buy compostable party ware, like plates and cups made from corn.

#3.  Make Your Own Decorations. Easter time is spring time and it’s a great opportunity to decorate naturally. That means you don’t have to buy pre-made decorations. Consider using naturally dyed eggs, real grass, and twig branch baskets for decorations. Cut flowers for a spring touch and place them in vases. If you want to create Easter grass for baskets or decorations consider shredding magazines or using vegetable dye on papers in your recycled bin and then shredding them. Beet juice makes a beautiful natural pink color! 

#4.  Make It A Pot-Luck. Instead of cooking everything yourself or getting takeout, consider asking attendees to contribute a dish to the party. It means there’s less work for you and everyone feels as if they’ve contributed to the festivities. Let them know you’re having a zero waste party so they can be sure to bring food in recyclable or reusable containers.

#5. Compost Leftovers. Composting is a great way to make use of leftovers and you can use the finished compost to help indoor and outdoor plants thrive - use it in your sustainable garden to grow great food organically!

Coloring Easter eggs. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

#6.  Play Games. Games make a party fun. Easter egg hunts with real eggs instead of plastic ones are a zero waste game. The kids will love helping dye them the day before! Or have the eggs already boiled and cooled, and make the dyeing part of the party! Charades and scavenger hunts also have zero waste.

#7. Make Natural, Earth Friendly, Crafts. In addition to using games to keep children occupied consider having an earth friendly craft for kids to do. One example might be for children to decorate a tin. You can have seedlings, potting soil and paint on hand. They can decorate the can, choose their plant and take it home. It’s a zero waste craft and a nice goodie to take home from the party. Felted Easter eggs are also a fun craft for kids that they can take home with them - check back for Wednesday's post for how-tos.

#8.  Recycle.  Be sure to recycle anything that cannot be reused. For example, if you purchase soda or juice for the party you can recycle the containers. Or you can use them to create compost scoops, bird feeders, or planters.

Easter is a great time to be environmentally conscious. When you throw a zero waste party you’re not only doing something nice for the planet you’re also getting others involved in the cause. You’re setting a good example for your own family and others. If everyone does their small part it makes a huge difference - plus it can be a lot of fun!

How to Have a Green Valentine’s Day Party

This Valentine's Day, why not have a green party? Valentine's Day can be such a wasteful holiday, with all the mass-produced paper cards, cheap teddy bears, unhealthy chocolates, cut flowers, and all kinds of trinkets. Counteract the mass-produced junk with your own "green" Valentine's Day. Here are some ideas.

Image via Wikipedia1. Instead of cut flowers, make paper roses and flowers. Use scrap paper. Used tissue paper, colorful magazine and catalogue pictures (why not flower pictures?), and other scrap paper can be made into flowers. You can give these homemade flowers as favors and use them as centerpieces and decorations. (Check back Friday for a how-to video!)

2. If you do want fresh flowers at your party, consider getting cut flowers from a local florist. Or use live flowers in pots. These also would make good favors in addition to decorations.

3. Send electronic Valentine cards and invitations to your party, or make your own from recycled paper.

4. Chocolate is traditional Valentine's fare, but instead of getting mass-produced "chocolate flavored" candies at the store, think of "greener" chocolates. Make your own chocolate fudge using fair trade cocoa and sugar, for instance. Or buy organic chocolates. Another option is to find a local chocolate maker and buy from them.

5. Make your party glow with natural, red soy candles.

6. If you must have confetti or glitters for the tables, use a hole-punch (you can get heart-shaped ones, too) to cut out colorful scrap paper into decorative shapes. Used wrapping paper, old Christmas cards, and magazines are good choices.

7. Serve organic, locally-grown foods and hand-make as much of the food as possible. You can make many dishes ahead and freeze them to make it easier. The point is avoiding pre-packaged, mass-produced foods.

8. Use washable tableware on a washable tablecloth.

9. Rather than serving beverages in individual cans and bottles, serve from a punch bowl or other large container. Use washable cups.

Valentine's day countdown (Photo credit: Julie K in Taiwan)10. Cloth napkins are another green touch for your party. You can easily make your own or buy them for very little - and they should last a long time - saving you another type of "green" as well!

11. Encourage your guests to carpool to your party to save fuel.

12. Have recycling bins handy for recyclable items. Guests should be able to easily tell what the bins are for and be able to get to them without difficulty.

By following these simple tips, you can have an eco-friendly Valentine's Day party that will be fun for all, and that you and your guests can feel good about too!  (And of course you can apply many of these tips to other holiday parties as well.)