Eco-chic parties are in fashion and it’s very simple to welcome friends for an ecologically sustainable and environmentally friendly lunch or dinner. From the invitations, decoration and preparation of the menu, to the end of the festivities, organizing a green party is a matter of attitude.
1- Paper Invitation
Exchange the paper invitations for an invitation via email, sms, addressed in person, or by phone. If you don’t want to do without paper invitations, make sure you use recycled paper.
2- Avoid Cars
Encourage guests to all come together to reduce the number of cars coming to your house.
3- Traditional Crockery
Forget about plastic plates, cups and cutlery, instead opting for traditional crockery. It may be more work, but it’s saving the planet from a product that takes hundreds of years to decompose. If you have no alternative – like a children’s party – don’t forget to recycle everything at the end.
4- Cloth Napkins
Always opt for cloth napkins – in addition to being prettier, they are also more ecological, just put them in the washing machine and reuse.
5- Party Outdoors
Whenever possible, hold the party outdoors, in the garden or terrace of the house, making the most of natural light.
6- Favor Candlelight
If the party is indoors, favor candlelight, opting for models made exclusively from soy or beeswax.
7- Organic Products
Serve exclusively foods made with organic products, always opting for seasonal foods.
8- Own Containers
If you are going to pick up food outside, bring your own containers, thus avoiding typical take-away packaging.
9- Gas Grills
If you want to have a barbecue, know that gas grills are more environmentally friendly than charcoal grills.
10- Leftover Food
Use leftover food to compost for the garden.
11- Distribute the food
If there is a lot of food left, distribute it to friends before they leave.
12- Seasonal Flowers
If you want to make a centerpiece with flowers, choose seasonal flowers.
13- Decorate Yourself
Decorate the party yourself, choosing to use objects that you have at home and that you can put back in place at the end of the night. Use your imagination and avoid buying pre-made decorations.
14- Earthy Tones
Still regarding the decoration, more precisely the color palette, choose earthy tones – brown, green, yellow, orange – always taking advantage of natural elements (leaves, flowers and garden branches, or shells and stones collected on the beach) to give it an even greener touch.
15- Organic Wine
Serve organic wine – it’s the greenest way to make tchim-tchim.
16- Opt for Glass
If you have to choose between cans and glass bottles – in the case of beer, for example – always opt for glass, whose production requires half the resources of an ordinary can.
17- Digital Camera
Favor the digital camera to photograph the party, instead of a traditional roller camera – this is because the development of photographic rollers produces substances that are extremely harmful to the environment.
18- Creative and Natural
If you want to give your guests a souvenir that is ecologically sustainable, such as a potted plant, a packet of seeds for planting, a recycled paper notebook, a soy or beeswax candle, reusable shopping bags … be creative!
19- Recycle
At the end of the party, don’t forget to recycle all the glass, cans, plastic and paper left over from the festivities.
