One of the best parts of summer is getting to enjoy all that warm weather and sunshine. Whether it’s a Memorial Day pool party, Fourth of July barbeque, or just a weekend get-together, this is the time of year when we all like to take the party outdoors. So to help you get ready for the summer and plan for your next outdoor event, we’ve put together a list of the things you’ll need to do to make sure your summer party is an eco-friendly hit.
Get Ready
Shop smart
Minimize the waste from your party by choosing reusable tableware that goes into the sink instead of the trash and cloth napkins you won’t need to throw away. You can also reduce waste by buying food and drinks in bulk, then whipping up big bowls of pasta salad and punch for everyone to enjoy. If you end up wanting to use disposable tableware, look forcompostable plates, cups, and cutlery make from bagasse, PLA, or potato starch. After all, there’s nothing greener than turning your party waste into nutritious fertilizer!
Go organic
Just because it’s a party doesn’t mean you have to skip out on healthy food. When planning your menu try to incorporate lots of local, seasonal fruits and vegetables: it’s easy to put out bowls of berries, apples, or sweet cherries for your guests to snack on, and grilling vegetables like corn and bell peppers is a great way to include healthy foods in your barbeque. When you chose organic meats and produce you’re helping to reduce the environmental footprint of your food and guaranteeing that your meal will be free from artificial hormones, pesticides, and fertilizers.
Decorate the eco-friendly way
Whether you go all out with tablescapes or just plan to put up a few balloons, keep the environment in mind when you’re decorating for your party. Flimsy plastic streamers and signs are likely to just end up in the trash, so opt instead for more eco-friendly party fare. You can use natural, compostable items like flowers and wreaths to set the mood, or you can make centerpieces out of reusable glass or wood containers. If you need disposable items, try to find paper products that are recyclable or compostable (that means they don’t have a plastic coating or any toxic dyes).
Enjoy the Party
Be energy efficient
If your barbeque goes late, you can light up your patio with efficient, solar lighting or add sparkle to your garden party with energy-efficient LED lights: both will keep the party going into the night without driving up your electric bill. If you want to keep your party intimate, light up tables with non-toxic beeswax or soy candles, and when it gets hot, keep your guests cool with rechargeable fans or misters instead of relying on indoor air conditioning.
Skip the toxic bug spray
Nobody likes party-crashing mosquitoes, but before you resort to toxic sprays or lotions to keep your guests happy, why not trynatural insect control? Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, so you can stop the bugs before they even get started by covering puddles, cleaning your gutters, and getting rid of other sources of standing water in your yard. You can also catch mosquitoes by putting out a homemade CO2 trap made from a soda bottle filled with warm water, sugar, and yeast. If you’ve still got pests buzzing around when your party starts, offer your guests a natural insect repellant made from a mixture of an essential oil like lemon or citronella mixed with olive oil – a dab every few hours will keep those mosquitoes away.
Give green gift bags
If you’re handing out party favors, why not put together a bag of green goodies? Small items like reusable water bottles, beeswax candles, and toys made from recycled plastic make great gifts for people to take home at the end of the night. And of course, your gift bags themselves should be reusable as well.
After It's Over
Clean green
Once the party’s over you can clean up using safe, natural cleaning products. Opt for eco-friendly dish detergents that will keep toxic chemicals out of the environment and citrus-based all-purpose soaps for outdoor tables and chairs that will scrub away the day’s mess without leaving you in a haze of toxic fumes.
Recycle and compost
Even the most well-organized party is bound to leave trash behind, so be sure you minimize your party’s environmental impact by putting all that waste to good use. Cleanup will be a breeze when you set up clearly labeled bins for food scraps and recyclable products made from plastic, aluminum, and glass to make it easy for guests to know where their trash goes.
Sumber : http://www.greenhome.com/blog/how-to-throw-a-green-garden-party
Judul: How to Throw a Green Garden Party
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Ditulis Oleh 1:13 PM
Rating: 100% based on 99998 ratings. 5 user reviews.
Ditulis Oleh 1:13 PM
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