Celebrate Green

People love to celebrate and mark all of those special occasions in life with a party or a gathering of family and friends. The good news is that events can be entertaining, fun and good for the environment if you follow a few easy tips.

Think about the last party you attended. Chances are there were disposable plates and cutlery and overflowing trash containers. Soda cans and wine bottles may have been discarded instead of recycled, while plastic items may have abounded. Though these items make for less cleanup and more convenience, they also promote extra waste in area landfills. Rethinking a party plan can make the entire event greener -- and could save you some money, too.

* Recycle products into handmade cards. Internet invitations are the least waste-producing ways to get the word out about your party, but when cyber invites simply won't do, think about repurposing materials you have on hand into invitations. Think outside of the box for materials. Scrap fabric, wallpaper swatches, even empty paper towel or toilet paper tubes can be turned into unique invites. Urge guests to toss them in the recycle bin when they are no longer needed.

* Use the dishes, cups and napkins you've got. Remember when you registered for china and all of those fancy entertaining items on your bridal registry? Have they been sitting in a cabinet collecting dust for years? Put those items to good use, and don't feel funny about mixing and matching with other everyday pieces you have. Relying on reusable items instead of disposable ones may mean a little more cleanup when the party is over, but it certainly will mean less waste for the environment.

* Personalize cups. Guests tend to leave their cups around and forget which one belongs to them. Eliminate that trouble by attaching monogrammed tags to the glasses, or use a marker to write people's names on their cups if you simply must go with disposable ones. There are some disposable brands that are made from corn resin or sugar-cane stalk, or are labeled "biodegradable" or "100 percent recycled content".

* Illuminate the possibilities. Turn down the lights and turn up the ambiance with candles. Soy or beeswax candles don't produce sooty smoke and are better for the environment. For outdoor events, purchase solar-powered accent lighting and make sure the lights have ample time to charge. A warm glow will be cast on the festivities.

* Go organic whenever possible. Organic lines of produce and other foods are produced under strict guidelines that do not use hormones or pesticides. That's good for the earth and good for the body. Many organic products can be found right at farms close to your home.

* Fantastic green favors. Favors are a staple of events. Hosts and hostesses like to send guests home with a little token of appreciation. A very green option is to purchase small houseplants or annuals that can be planted in a garden or container later on. Not only will the blooms be relatively inexpensive for gifting, they can benefit the earth by helping to clean the air.

* Sort biodegradable trash: It stands to reason that you will have some trash after your party. Sorting through it can help prevent unnecessary items from making their way to the landfill. Some food scraps can be tossed in the compost heap. Make sure plastic products, aluminum cans and foil and paper items are sorted for recycling. Use biodegradable trash bags for the rest of the trash that really is garbage. And just because something is marked disposable (such as cups and cutlery) doesn't mean it can't be tossed in the dishwasher and reused for another party unless the packaging warns against it.

Throw a green party and enjoy yourself knowing you're doing your part to preserve the environment.