Are you looking at organising a baby shower but want to make a few changes for a more eco-friendly party? Then check out our top tips below!
Invitations
Once you have finalised your guest list, it’s time to invite everyone to the event. Sending invitations online eliminates any materials needed. It can be nice to receive one in the post, which if you prefer, you could always look at making your own or buying invites made from recycled materials with no plastic wrapping.
If you are feeling inspired to make your own consider:
- Incorporating recycled or natural materials
- Looking at what you can reuse around the home for making them
- Can you press flowers from your garden to use and add an extra personal touch?
It is also a great opportunity to practice your calligraphy if you fancy giving it a go!
Food/Drink
Buffet style food is easier to organise than a formal meal and you don’t need to worry too much about timing on the day. It’s also easier to cater for any allergies/intolerances that people may have.
Research suggests that to make a meal more sustainable it’s great to cut out animal products, but that is your personal preference.
If you have the time to make the food yourself it will also help reduce the carbon footprint, if you need some recipe inspiration why not have a look here or here for some ideas (we have tried and tested a few ourselves and they were delicious!).
When it comes to what to serve to drink – it’s a great opportunity to explore what your local area has to offer, whether it’s fruit presses, wine, cider or anything else. If you can, choose beverages in a can rather than a bottle (you can always decant it if you prefer), bottles have a larger footprint.
Plates/Cutlery
Depending on how many people you are having at your party, you may not have enough plates and cutlery to accommodate everyone. If you don’t have enough, try borrowing some extra pieces from a friend or consider hiring what you need. Paper plates may initially sound more environmentally friendly, but if it’s possible to avoid single use items that will have a beneficial impact. This extends to napkins – it’s a bit of extra work after the event, but washable cloth napkins over disposable are also one to consider.
Decorations
It can be really expensive hosting an event and once you’ve tackled the food and drink, the decorations are the next big expense. At this point the cheap single use decorations are probably looking appealing, but there are lots of options that you can go for that don’t break the bank.
Rather than plastic bunting, you can opt for fabric bunting which can be used again and again at future events. You don’t have to opt for the usual triangle design either if you are making it yourself, you could try something a little different!
If you’re going for a more sustainable party, balloons are a no no. Even the ones which are biodegradable don’t break down easily and can still cause environmental damage and animal death by the time they decompose.
Banners are easily made at home to add to a party, and it’s a great activity to get the kids involved in and to help keep them occupied whilst you sort out other things.
Gift wrap and presents
Am I the only one who finds it awkward to talk about presents? When you send out your invites though it’s an opportunity to add a few words about the way you are hosting your event and encourage recyclable wrapping paper or reusable gift bags.
It’s so tempting to buy everything new for a baby, and you always will get some new outfits, toys etc. But it’a a great opportunity to encourage your friends and family to help reduce the amount of clothing that is made and disposed of by gifting hand me downs.
So how I do start?
Personally I love nothing more than a good list!
Write down everything you would like to have at your event – people, food, drink, games, decorations everything – and then for each one have a think and write down possible options that are more sustainable. If you have a few that you’re unsure about you can always have a quick Google, or there are some great groups on Facebook that offer eco-friendly advice such as Mums Go Green.
