Plan your Next Eco-Friendly Party
As we in New Zealand will move from Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3 shortly, there are some restrictions that will be lifted e.g. extended bubbles, more people being allowed to work and some small gatherings being allowed to go ahead. For the most part, New Zealanders can give themselves a pat on the back for adhering to lockdown rules and one could not be faulted to be in a celebratory mood.
Don’t we all just love to party?
Whatever the occasion may be, celebrations can come with unnecessary waste and costs. With celebrations and gatherings being limited in the meantime, or even when it does return to normal eventually and when it does, how can we make small changes to what we do to have these events become more “environmentally-friendly”?
By this time, you are likely to be an online whiz; doing your shopping online, video chatting with your friends or family through Facetime or Zoom or even working from home. Why not consider making your invitation online and sending it electronically and have your guests RSVP online as well? Doing so already reduces the amount of material your event is creating and if you had hundreds of people in mind, you are already reducing a lot!
When it comes to decorations, reuse items that you may already have lying around the house or in your garden (for example – candles, paper, old glass jars and containers, or even flowers and greenery you’ve never really paid attention to). Those Christmas lights you store away and only use once a year? Why not use those as they are easy to use and decorate with.
Another one of those things that you can do without but guilty of using anyway, plastic straws! Its funny when Colonel Sanders says no to plastic straws but still have them available for you at the corner of their counter anyway, admit it, you always grab one or two or three. Well for your next event, use stainless steel, biodegradable straws or compostable paper straws instead! You will significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste and look, people might not be used to it but they can always drink from the cup or glass directly, no harm there.
If you are keen to DIY, make decorations that will work for multiple occasions rather than just a one-off (but remember not to use glitter or glue!). However, sometimes DIY-ing defeats the purpose of going “environmentally-friendly” in the first place as you could end up producing a lot of waste anyway! Rather than stocking up on items, why not ask friends or family who have unused decorations lying around? Things like dishes, glasses, silverware, punch bowls and even themed decorations are likely stored away just waiting to be used. Ask and you shall receive.
Hiring decorations and equipment is also a great way to reduce waste. You know that the item will be reused and not just left as rubbish after your event or occasion. And obviously you are supporting local businesses which is always a good thing. Stellar Backdrops and many other small businesses in the Events Industry have a range of products that can help you save the hassle when hosting a party. At Stellar Backdrops, we use both silk and foam artificial flowers for our diverse range of rental decorations such as Flower Walls. They are an eco-friendly alternative to freshly cut flowers. Additionally, we have been adapting material made out of cotton for our flower wall backing.