Throw a Green New Year’s Party!

Start 2012 off right by greening your New Year’s Party!

With some minor adjustments, you can reduce the cost of throwing a party and prevent that awful wasteful feeling at the end of the night while still showing your friends and family a good time.

1. This is an easy one - Nix the paper invite and use an e-invite service or social media like Facebook to notify your invitees.
2. You don’t need to go overboard with the decorations.   Either use small potted plants that you can give to guests at the end of the night, or look around your house and think of new ways to use what you already have.
3. Don’t purchase plastic throwaway cups, plates, napkins or utensils.  There is nothing worse at the end of the party than seeing the giant landfill contribution you are about to make.  Use your normal drinking glasses; borrow from friends if you need more.  Prevent guests from losing their glass by using reusable (and removable) chalkboard labels to put their name on the glass.  Use plates you already have and reusable cloth napkins.  Make any food bite-size to avoid needing utensils.  Don’t worry about everything matching; your party will have more character if it doesn’t.
4. You will likely want to have some sort of food available to your guests.  Make your party later in the evening to avoid the expensive and complicated dinner party.  Use local, seasonal ingredients when possible.  Focus on bite-size appetizers and desserts to avoid needing utensils.  Take it a step further by adopting my “don’t cook, just assemble” philosophy.  Make appetizers and desserts that are no cook/bake to avoid using your stove and oven.  There are tons of websites offering no bake/no cook recipes online.
5. Keep your thermostat on 68 degrees or lower.  Take advantage of the body heat and save on your energy bill!
6. Use limited lighting.  Guests will think you are setting a mood, but you will also be saving on energy.
7. Don’t throw away bottles at the end of the night.  Any corks you accumulate can be made into a cool cork message board.  The bottle itself can be used for many different crafts that would make great gifts for your friends.  Check out these ideas to spark your creativity.
8. Lastly, don’t wait until tomorrow to clean your dishes.  Save energy by running your dishwasher late at night.