How to Give a Green Party
Think back to some of the parties you have attended or hosted. What kind of dinnerware did you use to serve the food to your guests? More often than not, you ate a hot, steaming pile of baked beans or a sugary frosted cake from a paper or plastic plate, right? By the end of the party, the pile of trash seemed bigger than Mount Rushmore. And now all of that is heading for a landfill somewhere.
The types of plastics that are used to make this throw-away dishware are some of the most toxic ever made and, unfortunately, the most prolific. As people continue to be faced with crowds to feed at parties, they will continue to look for the easiest ways to serve them food, and the old fashioned way will remain a staple unless people are shown a way that’s better for the earth. Party guests certainly aren’t thinking about the environment when they throw away their first plate only to get another plate for seconds and thirds, and you wind up with several bags of garbage to throw out by the night’s end.
That’s just one party. Now think of how many parties are thrown around the world. Think of the summer picnics, and corporate events? The list goes on. You can just imagine how much trash is generated from these events and gatherings. That’s an enormous amount of waste that ends up accumulating in a landfill and it will stay there forever because these types of plastic and Styrofoam products never break down and decompose. Never!
Forget about Styrofoam plates, and colorful, cheerful plastic cups. And walk right by the boxes of plastic cutlery. Here are some solutions for beating the party garbage blues:
- Don’t be afraid to get out that old china, especially if your party guests are adults. It wasn’t meant to be looked at and never used. Besides, your good china is just collecting dust. If you don’t use your gorgeous dishes, then why have them in the first place? You won’t believe how much elegance a nice plate can bring to a party. Sure, there may be some work to do after the party, but you’ll be amazed at how lovely it will be to see your food on this gorgeous dishware.
From the environment’s standpoint, this really is the perfect solution to keeping the planet from filling with toxic, preventable waste. This will work even if you don’t have fine china. There are great deals to be had on simple dinnerware sets at just about any retail outlet or you can wait for those after the holiday close-outs. You can get really great looking dishes and stemware for a small amount of money, plus you’re saving the planet. Your guests will always give you compliments on how great your table looks. You don’t have to pay a lot to have a beautiful party. And, if one of the plates gets broken, you don’t have to worry about trying to get a hard-to-find replacement.
- For outdoor or wild parties, china and porcelain isn’t all that practical. These are the events that call for the use of plastic dishware, but not the disposable kind. There are dishes and stemware that are made out of plastic, but they are reusable. Most retail outlets will have very stylish plates and cups that you can use over and over again, and that will still give your party an extra kick. They are made with designs, colors, and shapes that fit any kind of theme you’ll want to have for your get-together. Plus they often come with matching silverware. This is a responsible use of plastic because it won’t end up in the landfill, and you’ll save money in the end. You can always wash this dinnerware and reuse it for your next party. And because these dishes are usually heavy, they won’t fly off the table if a gust of wind happens by like Styrofoam dishes would.
If you’re throwing an outdoor event, bring a really big cooler and fill it with water. Have your party guests scrape their plates in the trash first and then put the dishes in the cooler to soak. Then, when you’re ready to leave, shake the cooler to dislodge any remaining food, pack up the dishes in a bag or a box, and dump the dirty dish water. All you have to do when you get home is load the dishwasher and off you go.
While the dishware is only one aspect of giving a green party, it can be the most important part because, as we all know, disposable dishware is one of the biggest problems facing the planet today. Don’t be one of those irresponsible or thoughtless people who refuse to help save the planet. Be the party host that takes the first step in going green. Sooner or later, we all have to take responsibility for the world.