Party with the planet!

It’s that time of year, when the parties begin. Thanksgiving, the feast of all feasts, is coming up fast. Soon after, the semester ends, and then the winter holidays. Celebrating to keep warm and well lit, as the days grow shorter and darker, really needs no excuse.

However, parties large and small tend to be trashy. Not in the tacky sense or trashed-on-spiked-egg-nog manner, but in the mounds of paper or plastic plates and cups way. This year, try setting a goal of zero-waste, and see how close you can get.

Planning an environmentally friendly event does not mean it must be bland, decoration-less, or gift-less. All it takes is a bit of imagination and information to have a global cooling gathering. Depending on how prepared or fancy it will be, here are a few tips to follow for this year’s fete, or to keep in mind for future festive occasions.

Inviting
Try electronic invitations. They are easy, free, save some trees, and use less overall energy than mailing through the postal service. Plus, they can keep guest lists and supplies organized for you.

Arriving
Include a carpool option for guests on your electronic invitation. (This can also help as folks figure out designated drivers, if this is a potential concern.) Include information about nearby bus lines and walking and biking directions.


Decorating
Look to nature, keeping the season in mind. Branches, greenery, plants, rocks, fall leaves, grasses, can all look festive. Fill a bowl or glass jar with in-season, local produce like winter squash, or with pinecones, pears, or nuts in the shell. Check out the farmers market for ideas.


Table setting
Check out thrift stores for holiday themed plates and mugs on discount; ditto for spoons and forks. Wash up and store for the next event. Otherwise consider compostable disposable tableware. Use cloth table coverings and non-petroleum candles such as soy or beeswax varieties that don’t emit sooty fumes.

Cooking
Focus on a plant based, locally produced, seasonal menu such as local cheeses, roasted vegetables, and late season fruits such as apples and pears. For potlucks, encourage guests to try this approach. Animal products are among the biggest contributors to global warming. Consider grass-fed, pasture-raised products whose impact is less, and try out some vegan appetizers.

Drinking
The container is the key to a green drink. Glass and aluminum recycle best. Plastic affects flavor and is hard to recycle cleanly. Consider organic spirits and local beers and wines. Check out recent research on the carbon footprint of wine from various locales. As for coffee…Seek organic, fair-trade and shade-grown products and the “Smithsonian Institute Bird-Friendly,” or “Rainforest-Friendly” labels.

Party favors
Do people still do this? If you do, consider the gift that keeps giving. Local honey, cheese, packets of garden or native plant seeds, and compact fluorescent bulbs make useful and enjoyable gifts for guests. Decorating with favors puts the gifts to work and makes the party to-do list shorter.

Info Box

Green Party Resources

Electronic Invitations:
www.Evite.com or www.pingg.com

Compostable tableware:
www.worldcentric.com, www.biosmartbiodegradable.com

Vegan Appetizers:
www.vegweb.com, www.vegancoach.com

Red, White and “Green”: The Cost of Carbon in the Global Wine Trade
http://www.wine-economics.org/workingpapers/AAWE_WP09.pdf

ShoLo: www.sholo.org

Cool Cuisine: Taking the Bite out of Global Warming
www.globalwarmingdiet.org/book