Making Kids’ Birthday Parties A Green Scene

CELEBRATIONS | by KAVITA VARMA-WHITE

THE CONVENTIONAL KID’S BIRTHDAY PARTY can produce mountains of waste. From the piles of disposable cups and plates to the excess of toys kids receive (but don’t really need) to the themed paper decorations that are thrown away, it’s enough to make any eco-conscious parent cringe.

SOURCE: GREENPARTYGOODS.COM

But with a bit of ingenuity, throwing a Green Birthday Party is fairly easy to do. Enlist your Kiddo’s help and it can be a fun, rewarding experience.

Start by breaking down your party into categories. Then focus on how to make each aspect as eco-friendly as possible. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Invitations: Electronic is the way to go — it’s faster, and easier for people to reply. Plus, today’s wired moms appreciate an email or text reminder of the event. Use free sites such as Evite, MyPunchbowl or Purple Trail, and let your child help with creating the design.

Themes and gifts: Instead of going with Disney’s flavor-of-the-month, think outside the box. Does your kid love puppies? Make dog-bone shaped cookies for snacks and asks guests to bring, in lieu of gifts, donations such as dog food, water bowls and leashes, which you can donate to a local animal shelter. You could ask for a monetary donation, something minimal such as $5 or $10. On the invitation, explain that half of the proceeds will go to a specific cause, the other half used by the birthday child to buy one large gift of his or her choice. Echoage can help you organize a charity-themed party.

Decorations: Consider Green Party Goods, which has a beautiful selection of eco-friendly party hats, banners and garlands, as well as tableware. Oh, and what’s a party without balloons? Forget Mylar; choose latex balloons, which are 100-percent biodegradable!