Throwing a Birthday Party: How to Have an Eco-Friendly Bash

Once the decorations, food and other essentials are paid for, birthday parties can cost quite a bit of money. Particularly if you don’t have the savings to justify an elaborate bash, or even if you would simply prefer to allocate your funds in a different way, it can be difficult to figure out how to celebrate in style with family and friends. The environment is always a concern as well; birthday parties generate a lot of trash and generally aren’t considered “green” events. If, however, you would like to throw an environmentally friendly birthday party, it can be done. The following tips will help you host a green party without spending a lot of money.

Send out homemade invitations

Look around the house and see what materials you have readily available; fabric scraps, old buttons, plastic and paper are all good choices to help you make invitations for your get together. You can also create banners and posters for your event. Spending a few hours putting your unique spin on these items will not only add a nice touch to your event, but it allows you to reuse old materials that may have simply been thrown away otherwise.

Get creative

Consider “upcycling” during the party as well. After you are finished with the invitations and decorations, go through your house and find any other materials you have on hand that could be used to create interesting art pieces. Set up a craft station at the party (this idea is particularly applicable for children’s events), and let everyone have fun and use their imagination. The cost involved is minimal, and you will save your old “junk” from prematurely reaching the trash can.

Pick an inexpensive venue

The location of your party sets the stage for the entire event. However, having it at home may not be an option; perhaps your yard isn’t big enough or maybe you are concerned about bees and haven’t had time for a Jersey City pest control specialist to evaluate the pest situation. There are other free options that you can look into. Consider having the party at a local park, or think about holding it at a family member’s house. Also, research different businesses in the area; you may be able to secure an inexpensive room at a local bowling alley, arcade or other venue.

Have a meatless meal

Reducing the amount of meat you consume is a great way to help the environment. Serving vegetarian fare at your party, therefore, emphasizes healthy eating to your guests and doesn’t have to be expensive. Ask guests to contribute by bringing a dish that sounds interesting to them; simply send out a list of recipes for people to pick from that are simple to prepare.

Birthday parties do not need to be elaborate affairs that cost a lot of money. By following a few simple tips, you can throw a “green” bash for a reasonable price!

Image Credit: Some rights reserved by PetitPlat – Stephanie Kilgast