How to Organize a Greener Holiday Party
This is the most beautiful time of the year when you need to attend at least one festive evening a week. If you’re very lucky, you have a responsibility to organize it too! It may seem like too much to fill your home with joy while protecting the safety of our planet, but just a few small changes can make your holiday that much more sustainable.
So, mulled wine is boiling on the stove. The cat climbed to the top of the tree. You made your bed so people can put on their coats. But have you prepared for the planet? Do not be afraid. Before you even start, you have the opportunity to reduce waste:
1. Evite Me
People seldom send handwritten cards to invite people to the holidays, but the Guardian suggests in their eco-friendly guide to regular parties that we use the Internet. Only kill the tree that you will be ceremoniously decorating, and do not waste paper. Or, if the tradition of sending out Christmas cards and invitations is too deeply ingrained, buy recycled cards and envelopes. Green Your Decor evens recommends these nifty cards that turn into seed packs. After they read your loving party invitation, guests can shove it in the ground and watch it grow as nature intended.
2. Invest in permanent jewelry
This may seem like just home decoration, but consider buying permanent jewelry. In fact, having banners, tablecloths and other fabric decorations that can be hung, removed and reused is much better for the planet than buying themed tissue paper for every holiday. Personally, I made several chains of multi-colored flags, which were just lying pieces of rag. They were fun, suited to any occasion, and I probably used them a dozen times before they got hopelessly confused. Fabric embellishments also create a homely feel that cannot be replicated with garbage-clogging tinsel. And cats won’t eat it.
3. BYOFork
As Green Your Decor points out , people love disposable cups, silverware, and cleaning glasses. Obviously, all of these things create a lot of garbage. But to justify the short-term inconvenience of having to wash your dishes after a party rather than just throwing them away, consider how much money you’ll save over time by installing a small set of dishes just for parties. And if your circumstances are such that owning real hosting food is really too hassle, you can still buy more organic products like compostable straws for these delicious Santa-approved cocktails. Like … eggnog.
4. Make your menu sustainable
I will not go into details about which diet is best for our planet , as there are many arguments from all sides of the question. But you can definitely take into account how much waste the food you feed your guests will bring on this special night. Individual packaging of things like cooked sauces or pre-cut vegetables is bad. Things you can do in large batches at home and then put in washable dishes are good. If you are very optimistic, you can provide reusable containers for guests to take home leftovers, to green your decor in the proposal . However, in my experience, friends are more likely to eat everything and the plate that the cheese was laid out on, so leftovers can be a moot point.
5. Don’t forget about the trash
Most hosts consider party trash bags, but don’t forget the trash bag and, if you can rotate it, a compost spot. Yes, ask your guests to throw the holiday orange peels in the bin along with any other compostable food waste. (A handy printout of what is in each basket is an easy visual aid and saves you the trouble of explaining the difference a dozen times a night.) It might make you look alarmed and weird about the trash. ; or maybe your friends will learn an important lesson about landfills.
Either way, you don’t care because you dive into this BOXED bottle of wine – after all, bulk products generate less waste.