Zero waste birthday party!- UPDATE! I had the party...

[alexsam]

I'm doing it! We have BIG birthday parties at the park and I'm usually pretty good about "junk reducing factors" (take-home crafts instead of goodie bags, no little juiceboxes, etc.) but, for this one coming, I'm goin' whole (kosher) hog!

I have a bid on ebay for some cotton tablecloths. Adorable and inexpensive! I'm ordering some earth-friendly re-usable plates, silverware and cups. I'm looking for a lot of mixed (used ok) cloth napkins on ebay (but haven't found any that I like yet). I'm getting a fabric "happy birthday" banner and may be making some cloth banners myself. I'm going to put picked dandelions on the tables for a little more color. A friend just gave all the kids at her party an annual (flower) from a pack instead of a goodie bag and the kids loved it. DS's b-day is in august, so I don't think that is possible, but maybe something like that (ideas?).

I'm also doing a nature treasure hunt and we'll have watermelon in the rind, lemonade and a wholefoods cake. I found a pretty birthday flag (for our flagpole) for $1 at the thrift shop.

It will cost me more than my usual for THIS year, but I think I can do the whole thing for less than $150 (excluding food... my husband calls me "Queen of the Deal") and then I can use them for both kids for quite a few years to come, so if I use the stuff 4 times it will be cheaper than my usual birthday prep. I am going to put all of it in a storage box and mark it "birthday" and bring it out when I need it, twice a year. And, no more trash! No more "gotta pick up ____ for the party", no more barrels and trashbags full of wasted decorations, plates, etc. No cartoon characters, no violent themes, just real. Real cloth, real plates, real decorations.

Just 2 extra loads of dishes, a load of wash and an initial financial investment...

Anyone have any other ideas for an easy and fun "green" birthday?

[happyhats]

I really love this! My dd was born in December so I won't be able to use all of your ideas, but its defenitely a jumping point. Personally I would probably use my own silverware because I'm lazy and yard sale some pretty mismatched dishes. My family saves all the birthday decorations anyway, whether they were "tossable" or not, as in the hats, streamers, etc. If I don't do similar, I really think it would be super cute to find a felted or fabric birthday banner. If I was to do party favors I'd probably do holly or diy mini wreaths, etc.

Of course my conodrum is whether to do a big party for her first birthday or not. I know my family will want one but it's only a week until Christmas and I don't know that I want all that hoopla at once.

[eepster]

How about bandanas for the napkins.

In our family we often just reuse "disposable" things, so look at some "disposable" items and think about whether they are really things that can be used over and over (you woulbn't believe how many lives gift bags tend to have in our family.) One that comes to mind are the pinatas where you pull the ribbons instead of bashng it with a stick. One could easily repair the hole and use it over and over (especially if one had made it oneself in the first place from recycled newspaper or junk mail.)

[Mama.Pajama]

I almost don't have any ideas for you because you already have 100% awesome ideas, some of which I may have to steal from you for my son's 2nd birthday party in October...
So thank you!
The only think I can think of is possibly using old bedsheets as tablecloths (and heck, napkins too if you have a sewing machine handy) instead of buying them.

[kcparker]

A friend just gave all the kids at her party an annual (flower) from a pack instead of a goodie bag and the kids loved it. DS's b-day is in august, so I don't think that is possible, but maybe something like that (ideas?).

Succulents. Do you have a jade plant that could be a donor for some little starters? They are very low maintenance and hardy, and pretty also. You can probably get used starter pots for free from a garden center or neighbor who is doing planting right now.

[karemore]

That is WONDERFUL!

We just did my DD's 4th birthday and I felt horrible about the waste. I did use my own silverware and cups, and we reuse party decorations.

But the balloons are such a waste. The curious george plates and napkins were cute, but also such a waste!

I won't do it again next year, I'm going to follow your wonderful lead, thanks for sharing and good luck with the party! I'm sure it will be a hit.

[Amberoxy]

Hi! I also recommend succulents. I used them as party favors at Sam's first birthday party. I gave one to each family. I used "living stones" official name Lithops. They look like dinosaur feet . They also flower and most of the ones I gave away flowered shortly after. People like them a lot! I still have mine and am hoping it lives a very long time.
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/living-stones-1.jpg

[Xoe]

Re: December Birthdays.

Originally Posted by happyhats

.....Of course my conodrum is whether to do a big party for her first birthday or not. I know my family will want one but it's only a week until Christmas and I don't know that I want all that hoopla at once.

My DD's birthday is 5 days before X-mas. We celebrated her 3rd birthday on Xmas day at dinnertime. She had a great day, and all the family was able to be together. If we had celebrated her birthday 5 days before, some people wouldn't have been able to make it. Her 4th birthday was on the last shopping weekend before Xmas, so we held it at Chuckie Cheese (blush) at a big mall, and we had it EARLY in the day (10 AM,) so that anyone who wanted to shop could leave the party and go straight to the mall. Perhaps that wasn't an ecologically sound way to do things, but I say this just to give you an idea about one way to handle a late Dec. birthday.

Now personally-- next year I'd like to combine the OP's idea for an eco birthday, with my DD's December birthday. I'm not sure how we'll do it, but I've got a good, long time to think up ideas!

Thanks for sharing, OP!

Xoe

[AngelBee]

Great ideas!

[loraxc]

We did a great no-junk craft at DD's fifth--fairy houses! (Google "fairy houses. DD and DH collected bark, moss, ferns, lichen, acorns, sticks, etc ahead of time and I sorted them into cardboard boxes. We cut up cardboard boxes for bases; the kids designed and offered input and the parents used hot glue guns (we had 3, 2 borrowed) to construct. They looked really cool, the kids loved it, and at the end of the day I got to take the extra materials and just throw them back into the yard, which was so cool! Only "stuff" used was the glue.

[FnkyGreenMama]

What a great idea and wonderful thread topic! We have tried to be green where we can be in our parenting, and I`m always looking for more ideas

We are planning DS` first birthday party and I want to be as waste-less as possible. It`s tricky because it is going to be at a park, and lugging everything there and back will be a pain, plus budget is an issue, too. I already wasn`t planning on decorations, maybe a couple of balloons to draw attention to our location in the park - what could I use instead?

One idea I came up with today is that we can bring a container for food waste, as we have a green bin composting program in my area. I was going to buy compostable tableware but now I`m thinking of getting something reusable despite the inconvenience.

[nerdymom]

Don't forget to send e-vites instead of paper, and ask that everyone bring gifts in bags (so that they can be re-used) or recycled paper (like painted newsprint). Also, make your own napkins by simply hemming some pretty fabric from the store. I'm sure you can find a novelty print cotton that would be perfect.

[Just1More]

i buy a length of fabric and use it for the tablecloth. i cover it with a piece of clear heavy duty vinyl (i got mine at the fabric store, but a shower curtain would work). after the party i turn it into an outfit for the birthday kid.

for favors i always do something theme related...i've done plants, pinwheels, and tea pots, but never little bags filled with sugar and junk.

what about jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, or homemade playdoh?

[LaughingHyena]

I already wasn`t planning on decorations, maybe a couple of balloons to draw attention to our location in the park - what could I use instead?

Could you fly a small kite? my parents always used to fly one at the beach attached to a weight so we could find them easily.

Or how about bubbles, either have couple of people blowing them as the party starts of use on of the machines.

[mamabohl]

what a great idea! I always hate the amount of waste that goes into birthdays! We did tie-dye shirts at my 7yo ds' party for the party favors.

[MomInCalifornia]

I love the idea of having a birthday basket that stores everything from year to year. Hearing some of these ideas makes me really wish I could sew! I love the fabric table cloth turned outfit idea!

[kay4]

Great ideas!!!!!

[oceanbaby]

This is a topic that has been on my mind lately.

We are having a party for about 30 people. I don't own 30 plates, cups, or forks. We are also a bit broke, so even spending an extra $50 right now on "reusable, zero waste" products is not really doable.

I do however have a box in my storage area of extra paper plates and cups and plastic utensils that I have collected over the years from various events. If I use all of that stuff at the party, it is definitely not zero waste, but it is zero consumption. I mean, ordering or buying new stuff creates it's own kind of waste.

We have done email invitations in the past, but this year ds1 specifically wanted to hand invites to his friends. We passed out maybe 10 invitations, and they will all be recycled. But I felt guilty about it, and then irritated that I would feel guilty because my soon to be 8yo wanted to hand his friends an invite rather than some impersonal email that he doesn't even know how to work. The joy he got running around to our neighbors to hand them his invitation was worth a few extra pieces of paper in the recycling bin to me.

So I think a lot of this is not as cut and dry as it seems. Is buying new fabric really better than using recycled paper napkins that are then put into the compost? What if the fabric isn't organic, and the cotton was treated with pesticides? What about the waste created in packaging and shipping?

What about the food served at the party? Would the money spent on cloth banners and reusable cups possibly have a greater impact if used to buy more expensive food that supports local, organic farmers?

I'm not trying to be a downer - these are real questions that I struggle with quite a bit. I have ended up with trying to purchase as little as possible, and reuse existing items as much as possible, but often that ends up creating more waste in the moment. Is there really a clear answer?

[MrsAprilMay]

Can someone tell me more about the eco-friendly reusable cups/plates/silverware? Are we talking like the cups/plates you take on camping trips? If it's reusable how does it work with going to the park? Do you wash it there or just have a bag to stuff full of dirty dishes to bring home?

[Hoopin' Mama]

Originally Posted by oceanbaby

This is a topic that has been on my mind lately.
So I think a lot of this is not as cut and dry as it seems. Is buying new fabric really better than using recycled paper napkins that are then put into the compost? What if the fabric isn't organic, and the cotton was treated with pesticides? What about the waste created in packaging and shipping?

What about the food served at the party? Would the money spent on cloth banners and reusable cups possibly have a greater impact if used to buy more expensive food that supports local, organic farmers?

I'm not trying to be a downer - these are real questions that I struggle with quite a bit. I have ended up with trying to purchase as little as possible, and reuse existing items as much as possible, but often that ends up creating more waste in the moment. Is there really a clear answer?

I think the answer to a lot of these could be thrift store purchases or yard sales. The intital cost of the item may have included waste with packaging and shipping, but now it's hanging out at the thrift store so your $$ aren't contributing to that. We are lucky though, we have many thrift stores and they all have fabric, and random plates.

All my non-disposable party plates are a MIC hard plastic I did buy them at a yard sale. I cannot put them in the dishwasher b/c I fear leaching.

No, I don't think there is a clear answer. I think we do the best we can with what we know and have.