Green Birthday Parties

Hi S.,
When my son turned 3 I bought really cute plastic dessert dishes from the Disney store. I served the cake in it & then let the guests take them home as the party favor instead of those silly gift bags. When he turned 4, we did another park party & we gave the kids sand pails & shovels as the party favor. I brought a marker & put the kids name on it as they arrived to the party. I would not use table cloths (they blow around to much) & buy all recycled paper products. I would also put in the invitation that this is a green party & instead of wrapping paper ask the parents to put the gifts in gift bags that can be reused. If your daughter is opening the gifts in front of everyone you could even give the gift bag back to the giver after the present was opened (no waste). If not, then you'll have a collection of gift bags to use when you are the gift giver.

I know that there is a new beverage cup product out there, called "Greenware". It's made completely from CORN and looks and feels just like plastic. It's 100% annually renewable and fully compostable. I think it's make by a company called Fabri-Kal...

I also heard there's a company called GoPicnic located here in Chicago that does boxed lunches filled with organic foods...

Have a great party!

Mel.

Good for YOU!

http://www.mothere arthnews.com/Nature-Community/2006-06-01/Green-Picnic-Picks.aspx

We have done a couple of parties at the park. Great activities were sidewalk chalk, sand toys, bubbles, and balls. We really did not decorate - we had tablecloths, but the wind made them really impractical.
We recently went to a couple of parties that were "green", and one requested "re-used" gifts instead of new, and one had a book exchange instead of gifts in an effort to cut back on waste, both ideas went over really well at the parties.
Have fun!

When my sister and I were getting married and there would be lots of showers in the family, my mom and aunt each bought 25 place settings and cups from IKEA and we all share using them for every party, shower, baptism, etc. They were really inexpensive, especially when you consider how many times each has been used, and there is no waste after parties this way. IKEA would be great for kids' parties, too, since their stuff tends to be so colorful and playful. You could buy it for this birthday party and use it for all the ones to come - call them your daughter's "birthday dishes" or something.

What a great idea for a party, by the way, and a great idea for a theme!

I think Elizabth's idea is great. My mom did this for us too. She bought 2 boxes of wines glasses (18 in each box) for $9.99 at JC Penney. We use these instead of plastic. Besided IKEA, you can get a box set of dishes at linens and things or bed bath and beyone for less than $40 plus use a 20% off coupon. You will save big in the end and be green!