The Gift Exchange

Going green is a popular ecological movement across America, and yet birthday parties for kids are still in many ways environmental nightmares. Parents often provide bags of confetti for surprise parties, and use streamers and other paper products as decorations. Plastic table cloths, crepe paper, and cheap goodie bags filled with dollar toys often head straight to the land fill. And let’s not forget about the mountains of discarded wrapping paper.

The good news is that it is easy to host an environmentally conscious party without sacrificing fun or coming off as a fervent tree hugger. Here are some great ideas to get you started:

-Use washable dishes and napkins instead of paper plates and napkins.

-Save party hats and decorations for the next birthday and re-use them (kids never know the difference!).

-Ask people to wrap presents in newspaper or discarded paper grocery bags. You can also request that the young party revelers draw a picture on the wrapping paper. They will get excited about using alternative paper sources if you offer a prize for the best creation.

-Request green birthday gifts or suggest something from a second hand store or antique store, such as an old rocking horse.

-Give out fair trade toys as party favors.

If you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment. It’s a worthy cause and every effort helps.

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