We don’t know about you, but we’re sooooo ready for summer. Warm weather, drinks poolside, and now that we’re all vaxxed, more get-togethers with loved ones. For us Memorial Day is the unofficial kickoff to summer, so whether you're hosting a Memorial Day party, gathering a group of friends for a small shindig, or throwing your sis that belated birthday bash she deserves, we’ve got you covered with these five tips for planning the ultimate sun-stainable party.
- Replace paper invites: Save time, your money AND trees with Greenvelope, an e-vite service. They make it easy-peasy to email invitations and track RSVPs. If you must mail an invitation, research a vendor that prints their invites on recycled or seed paper.
- Choose eco-friendly decor: First, try to use what you already have or borrow what you don’t. Dress your favorite table linens and cloth napkins with fruit, produce and greenery or flowers from your yard, serve food from your grandma’s china, or borrow your friend’s cake topper. You can also rent table linens, dishes, glasses and utensils if you don’t personally own enough of these things for the number of people attending your party. If you do decide to buy decorations, purchase nondescript decor from a small business that you can see yourself repurposing over and over. You can also hit up your local thrift shop - we love searching for unique candles, string lights and retro banners (without words, of course!)
- Sip sip: Serve beer from a keg - skip the red cup - or create a signature cocktail with seasonal ingredients. Yes, please pass that watermelon mojito! Serve water, lemonade or other non alcoholic options in glassware out of a drink dispenser. Extra pro tip: buy or thrift a drink dispenser WITH a stand. Trust us, you’ll thank us later.
- Be a pal, share the chow: Serve family-style dishes made of local, seasonal food so guests can choose how much they want to eat. Avoid food waste by sharing leftovers. Ask your friends to bring tupperware from home. Or keep all the cookies yourself - that’s cool too. Invest in reusable beeswax wrap for those leftover cookies as an alternative to plastic wrap.
- It’s Time to Clean up: Bummer! Your friends are gone, the party’s over and now it’s time to clean up. Instead of whipping out paper towels and disposable wipes, grab your dish towels and create your own cleaning solution with one part white vinegar, one part water and a squeeze of lemon.
Shop our low waste party planning faves:
- Seedlings Cards ($7.00)
- Goldilocks Beeswax Wrap Set (3-pack) ($30.00)
- Half Gallon Size Stasher Reusable Silicone Bag ($20.00)
- Compostable Cling Wrap ($8.00)
- Dot + Army Unpaper Towels (4-pack) ($32.00)
- Filo All-Purpose Cleaner Tablets ($2.50)
- Amber Glass Spray Bottle - 16oz ($7.50)
- No Tox Dish Block ($10.00)
- Pot Scrubber Brush ($10.00)
