Tips to make kids parties more environmentally friendly for parents
Very pretty but is it environmentally friendly?
Kids’ parties can produce loads of rubbish, just think about it- They happen once a year for your little one’s, and there are so many children around - this means there are lots of children’s parties during the year.
When organising a kids party, we can be more considerate of our environment in many different ways, and they don’t need to cost us a fortune or even any more than other standard options.
What’s produces so much rubbish?
Food waste and serving tableware
Party bags and wrapping
Decorations
On top of that, a party happens at a very fast pace and it’s harder to be considerate when your hall hire time ends in the moment and you need to tidy up it all.
Below are tips on how to reduce the rubbish at the parties and/or use the alternative solutions in the first place
Food
use one big 5 l water bottle or tap water /filtered water in the jug over individual 250 ml bottles for everyone - less plastic to recycle and physically less rubbish in the bin. Not every venue has recycling bin easy to find
Use cups which are marked as recyclable - recyclable clear plastic or paper
It’s hard not to use themed plates sometimes, as they are so pretty and are a part of decor. Why not to keep them this way and serve the actual food on biodegradable white plates placed or biodegradable food boxes on top of the nice themed plate. After the party you can either keep the themed ones or recycle them. You can get themed plates which are marked as biodegradable too.
Parties have fast pace but prepare yourself with the rubbish segregation of your own if the venue doesn’t have it- general waste and recycling. Try to use biodegradable plates where possible so they can be thrown with the food in the same place and will biodegrade with it easily.
If you use themed napkins as a decorations reuse them if unused, for example at home or a barbecue. You can also replace them with biodegradable ones. They are slightly more expensive but they can be reused or thrown in the rubbish with food and they’ll biodegrade.
Use big bags of crisps or popcorn if using rather than small individually packed
Consider creating a party pack with reusable tableware to use every year or create or use one of the neighbourhood services of this type.
Decorations
reuse reuse and reuse! If your decor looks nice and not damaged keep it reuse it or pass on to friends /neighbours/colleagues.
Use latex balloons over the foil balloons. Latex is biodegradable. Use only balloons from reputable and responsible suppliers.
Choose balloon garlands (air filled) over helium balloon bunches.
If you use helium balloons make sure you have properly weight them and by any mean don’t let them go to the sky.
Avoid confetti by any means but if really like it use the biodegradable one with big shapes easy to tidy
Avoid glitter by any mean but if it’s needed for tattoos or crafts use the eco friendly one.
Avoid plastic table cloths instead buy a few fast dry fabric tablecloths in plain colour and reuse them for all family events.
Party bags and wrapping
party bags is an important and expected gift. There are good party bags solution so it doesn’t need to be full of plastic items.
Reusable party bag - fabric bag with printed name might be pricey but you can but themed fabric tote bags with favourite characters or in fun colours in pound shops and use them too. It creates a nice item to keep.
Using a recyclable brown or white disposable bag with handle.
Choose carefully the items to put in the bag, good reusable items like books, crafts, little pictures to keep, school stationary,
Books can be distributed individually too instead of the party bag
Wrapping presents and parcel
use recyclable wrapping paper - they are widely available in the variety of shops. Avoid the paper with metallic elements
use the fabric reusable parcel.
Final tips
Going shopping rather than ordering online. If ordering online trying to order in bulk to not increase amount of deliveries
Booking venue for more time - to have more relaxed prep abs during tidy up time and more time to consciously deal with rubbish segregation
Having family and friends to help you. Don’t put yourself through party organisation alone! Remeber that Puddles team is here to help, if your family is away or you simply prefer to enjoy the day socialising with them! :)