How and Why to Have a Zero Waste Party
In the last 60 years, plastic has become a fixture of modern life, offering us a sense of quick convenience. In most cases, it's thrown away within seconds, minutes, or days after purchase. Once we toss it in the trash or recycling bin, it's easy to believe it is out of our lives forever. But the harsh reality is that every bag filled with plastics is directly contributing to a giant problem in a not-so-distant space. It's wreaking havoc on our ecosystems and bodies and compromising other species living on our planet.
Here are some tips for throwing an eco-friendly party:
1. Go for digital invites.
This one is so simple, and it’s probably already commonplace for most of us by now. But just in case this isn’t your go-to approach, try it! There are so many free online services that allow you to send out invitations to your guests digitally, it’s a no-brainer. Not only does it save on paper materials, it also saves you time and money!
2. Get resourceful with your cups, napkins, and cutlery.
If you feel like you don’t have enough reusable cups to go around, the classic wide-mouth Mason jar is a great alternative. They are cheap, look relatively classy, and are easy to clean. The best part? They are multipurpose, so after your party, you can use them to store all the leftover food. You're avoiding food waste and nixing plastic food storage at the same time!
3. Forget traditional decorations.
For the love of God, forget the balloons! Animals can easily mistake them for food and choke on them. Instead, make a cheesy (or classy, depending on your vibe) banner or dig up those holiday string lights to enhance the ambience. Or buy some thrift store mini vases and add delicate succulents to the table. Save them to make your home a bit more of a green oasis.
4. Craft a healthy, eco-friendly menu.
Don't forget to bring your own cloth produce bags to the farmers market or favorite grocery store for all your veggies, fruits, and non-packaged bread for a giant plate with fresh goodies and dips. You can make your own crackers or stop in a Mexican restaurant and ask them to fill up your bag with tortilla chips. (I do this all the time—they're so much better than plastic-bagged ones!).
Instead of buying plastic bottles for beverages, try to find glass bottles and make your own concoctions. Mix herbs like mint and add cucumber with ginger tonic and ice. Opt out of plastic straws completely or replace them with reusable glass, steel, or bamboo ones.
"The most important thing one can do to stop waste and clutter from entering their home is to simply say no! Think before accepting something that is handed out to you. Turn down flyers, freebies, party favors, business cards, single-use plastics, and fight junk mail," says author of Zero Waste Home, Bea Johnson. "Accepting these things only creates a demand to make more. They are a waste of resources, and once they are brought into our home, they add to the clutter and require effort to dispose of them later. Try saying no: You'll be amazed by how much stuff you'll be able to stop from coming in."
Kathryn Kellogg of Going Zero Waste says that she really started to see a difference in her trash once she started composting organic waste. "My husband and I weren't throwing away much to begin with, but we consistently noticed we were tossing organics. On average, 50 percent of household waste is organic matter that could be composted. Composting is also one of the best things you can do for the environment! Almost 20 percent of methane emissions in the U.S. come from organics in landfills unable to completely decompose."
