Yes, you can throw a green party

Some people view a party as excessive, unnecessary, and expensive (my husband). With everything going green, you can do the same with your parties. Besides using eco-friendly products, you can also change a few of your “party habits”. You don’t have to sacrifice style and substance to do your part in helping the planet.

One of my favorite books is written by Danny Seo, THE celebrity eco-stylist, often called the “Green Martha Stewart”. So you know, I’m all over that. He has a great book called Simply Green Parties, the first in his Simply Green series. This book has great ideas; making invites from recycled makeup compacts, making your own pinatas and tea lights from oyster shells, even how to make those magazine scent-strips into paper flowers.

I love the Pebble Potpourri project, because I feel the need to buy a bag of river rocks when they are a $1 at Michael’s. He suggests to toss them with a fragrant essential oil of your choice, and display in a serving dish in the middle of the table so the natural scent perfumes the room.

I’m a little green, because I’ve done two of his party tips before I even read the book: flavoring water by adding strips of fruit or veggies, like cucumber and apple, and using Twizzlers as drinking straws.

I love to find uses for brown lunch bags. Puppets are a given, but I’ve used them as goody bags, stamping them and using scraps of paper and ribbon to dress them up. Or dig out your stash of glitter, glue, foamies, etc. and have the guests do the work of decorating their goody bags.

At one party, we received small cloth drawstring bags that my kids love to fill up and play with. It’s a great way to cut down on the waste of those ubiquitous plastic treat bags. Check out these cloth drawstring bags.

Take advantage of an online service like Evite instead of using paper invites.

Hang onto all the gift bags and wrapping paper gifts come in. The bags are usually in pristine condition and can be regifted, and the wrapping paper can be used when doing fun projects and crafts.

Instead of using cut flowers, try something more sustainable like potted plants that double as party favors. I did this with potted orchids as place settings for a spring luncheon.

Stock up on reusable party goods like these durable plastic tumblers and these melamine divided plates.

If you must use disposable cups, have a Sharpie handy for personalizing. We do this anyways with the kids because they are always drinking out of each other’s cups, and we don’t have to keep getting them new ones.

Serve food that doesn’t require plates and utensils but can be placed on a napkin like, wait for it CUPCAKES…(I’m so cool and green, it’s eerie) and other finger foods.

Another good investment is reusable party decor. Use a fabric banner and silcone baking cups like Wilton’s Silly Feet. Have a white tablecloth that guests can sign birthday wishes on year after year. Instead of balloons, decorate with Chinese lanterns.

Kiwi Magazine’s tag line is ‘Growing Families the Natural and Organic Way’. Their online magazine has a great article “Eco-friendly Kids Birthday Party Ideas” with many ideas that I’ve seen or have done myself and never thought of them as green. Touring a local orchard or farm, planting seeds and flowers in a friendship garden, breakfast parties, and having a talent show are all activities that are healthy and helps kids become more socially responsible.

If you are lucky to have a place like our Creation Station, it is quite an experience. They are a blend of retail and recycle, diverting materials from landfills and using them for creativity in their studio. Kids can build, discover and explore to their hearts’ content, using recycled materials. It’s a great place to host a birthday party and a wonderful opportunity for a discussion on the need to reuse and recycle materials that may not degrade.

Started in Cape Town South Africa, the only Scratch Patch in the US is here in Seattle. It’s another great party location for a organic and educational celebration. Guests arrive at the Scratch Patch; they take off their shoes and find a comfortable place within the room’s 2 tons of tumbled gemstones, then “scratch” (dig and explore) for whatever catches their eye. The deluxe party package includes a medium cloth bag (bag hold +/- 38 stones) and a organic healthy snack bag for each child.