Host a Green Party!

Everybody loves a great party. Good food, great drinks, the decor, the music, the small details... everything plays an important role when hosting an event. Just like after Mardi Gras in New Orleans, you know how great your party was according to the amount of trash that resulted from it, but does it always have to be this way? Let's change that.

Party food: 
There are several options for an eco-licious menu for your event. Stick to seasonal products that are locally grown or produced. This way you reduce your carbon footprint, and you help support local farmers. You don't have to be a rural resident to enjoy those products. Look, for example, at what one of these urban farms ais achieving:  http://www.growingpower.org. You can find one close to you, check out this site for more info: http://www.localharvest.org/


Drinks: 
Guests can be very particular about their drinks of choice, but you can provide them with natural mixers (fresh squeezed orange or lime juice, for example), and by keeping the same glass throughout the party. A quick wash will keep the stacks of plastic cups to a minimum. Use fabric napkins instead of paper ones, and use bamboo coasters. Also, sticking to beverages like wine will help reduce the need for ice, or the constant use of the refrigerator.

Décor:
Ever since minimalism came back to style, decor can be simple and tasteful. Reusing your own materials in a different way, using biodegradable decoration elements, or DIY decorations made with reused home materials can make your party look and feel cozy, stylish, and chic!

Mason jars, ribbon, and wildflowers is very shabby chic; a glass vase with a long stem leaf is quite minimalist; small terracota pots with planted herbs can look incredibly interesting! Add a few beeswax candles, and fold an old curtain to work as a table runner, and you've got a party!

If it's a dinner party you're having, don't mind asking your guests to BYOB (Bring your own bowl) to take some leftovers home, and some Vino, which doesn't require ice (nor the constant use of the fridge).

Have a great [green] party & enjoy!