Just because Plastic Free July is over, doesn’t mean we should stop paying attention to how much plastic we use! One of the biggest wastes is disposable items, and when are those the easiest to justify? During parties and celebrations. So let’s figure out how to make these events more waste-free (and please, do your part to make them within guidelines for social distancing while you are at it!)
- Avoid Disposable Items
- Have guests BYOP: Bring Your Own Plates (and utensils).
- Use paper plates and compostable utensils and compost in your own bin or through our curbside or bin swap services!
- There are rumors that you can rent plates and utensils from party rental companies, but there were no leads to be found in the KC area. Leave a comment if you know of a place!
- Make Your Own Decorations
- Use real tablecloths and reusable decorations like jars or bottles filled with flowers or herbs that you can compost after the event!
- Make paper decorations like origami cranes that can be composted or given away as favors.
- Use nature to make your decorations, such as the leaf confetti in the picture above!
- Save/Donate Leftovers
- Instead of just throwing away leftover food, ask each guest to bring containers to take some home with them for meals later in the week, and scraps can be composted.
- Remind Guests of Your Zero Waste Plan
- This suggestion might seem rude to us midwesterners, as we are taught to be as accommodating as possible. But rest assured, if done correctly, people will be on board.
- Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering, writes that people generally enjoy knowing what to expect at a social gathering. Good communication beforehand, as well as during the event, is key. However, being a party dictator is a no-no so decide ahead of time how you will handle situations.
- Work to Make Local Events Zero Waste
- You can work with your local government and other venues to work towards hosting zero waste events!
Further Reading