Partying Green

I went to an outdoor wedding yesterday and it reminded me that every occasion is an opportunity to reduce your carbon footprint. Making a happy occasion better by partying green is becoming an essential for all responsible planetary citizens.

And it actually saves money.

Getting over the idea of using plastic at events is a big must for this nation. We have become obsessed with easy clean up and hygiene at the expense of the planet. Plastics, plates, plastic silverware, plastic serving dishes, plastic utensils, plastic cake bags, plastic decorations, plastics drink cups, plastic straws, plastic favors, plastic wrappers, plastic, plastic, plastic. Urgh! What are we doing? Just because something seems convenient in the moment, doesn’t mean it actually is.

A plastic straw can take 200 years to degrade.

A plastic container can take 30 years to degrade.

The little plastic rings on the top of a six pack? 450 years.

A plastic beverage bottle? Thousands of years.

Of course, every plastic is different and some are made using recycled products. Nevertheless, they remain a ubiquitous blight on the planet and the less we buy and use, the less manufacturers will produce. It’s that simple. We are consumer culture. If we don’t consume it. They won’t make it.

Buying sustainable products wherever possible will save money in the long run (as you can use them over and over) and reduce the impact you personally have on the local landfill. Pick up extra silverware, serving dishes and plates at a yard sale or thrift store. And just don’t buy straws: they aren’t really necessary. Cotton table cloths, paper cake bags, paper or natural decorations, organic favors (bird seed, flower seeds, grass seeds) and cards and wrapping paper made of recycled materials.

For beverages use glass glasses and buy alcohol in glass containers. A glass recycling box at the corner of a party next to the garbage for the compost heap isn’t difficult. Actually having guests separate their trash will certainly make for a conversation starter.

Whenever you have a large event, you have to realize just how much carbon you are producing. It’s not just about using ceramic plates and real silverware. The distance people travel to attend your event, the energy it takes to cook for a lot of people, the fossil fuels used in the forms of gasoline and electricity, the new clothes that are bought for the occasion (and all those associated costs in human labor and carbon emissions); even the gifts have a carbon footprint. So for every large event that you have, it is a good idea to buy a little carbon credit and offset the celebration.

The world is changing. It’s becoming more aware of itself. It’s not about being a tree hugger (although everyone can use a little love), it’s about responsibility and stewardship. It’s about taking the time to think about cost effective, practical and earth friendly choices.

Alright, lecture over. Party on dudes.

Just party green.

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