July 31st, 2009
By Sommer Saadi
Green Right Now
You’re throwing a party. That means thinking about the guest list, the menu, the theme, the décor–and of course, how to be green while doing it all.
The event industry creates the second largest carbon footprint. So much waste can certainly put a damper on the celebration, so green-minded party planners across the nation are teaching both corporations and private citizens how to cut down when they’re throwing a party.
Green Right Now has enlisted the help of two party planners that specialize in hosting green events, Chrissy Gray, owner of Green Events in Laguna Beach, Calif., and Lenny Williams, owner of Garden Party NYC in New York, as well as the help of green guru and author of Simply Green Parties: Simple and Resourceful Ideas for Throwing the Perfect Celebration, Event or Get-Together Danny Seo to tell you all you need to know so that your next celebration is just as eco-friendly as you are.
INVITES
First step to a great party is making sure your guests know you’re having one. But instead of using traditional (and wasteful) paper invites, choose to send out electronic invitations. Sites like www.evite.com and www.pingg.com offer a more cost-efficient and eco-friendly way of getting the word out. You can choose to decorate your evite with pictures from their gallery or upload your own JPEG image. The invitations are free and really easy to create, and the sites offer planning tools to make sure your green party goes off without a hitch.
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If you want something a bit more personal than a pre-designed evite, then opt to design something yourself on paper (or have your kids do it!), scan the image, attach it to an e-mail and let the Internet work its wonders. Follow-up with a phone call so your guests can rave about how creative and environmentally conscious you are.
In case your party is more formal and you feel it necessary to have a paper invite, opt for an eco-friendly letterpress. Smock in Syracuse, N.Y. is the first print shop in the U.S. to offer printing on bamboo paper (talk about a sustainable and renewable resource), and the invitations are absolutely gorgeous. Twisted Limb Paperworks in Indiana is also a good choice. It creates invites out of 100 percent recycled paper using old colored office paper, grocery bags, recycled flowers, leaves and grass.
FOOD & DRINK
It’s not a party if there isn’t plenty to eat and drink, but again it’s really simple to make sure your spread is “green.” If you’re 
preparing your own food, then opt for organic ingredients and shop local. And please remember to take your totes. If you’re not sure where your local farmer’s market is, visit Local Harvest and find out. For packaged ingredients that you might need to purchase, use www.greenerchoices.org, a site that gives information on environmentally friendly products, to help you decide what to buy.
If you’re throwing a bigger party (or are afraid of the kitchen) and need a caterer, be sure to find one that uses fresh local ingredients, avoids GMOs and employs sustainable practices like recycling and minimizing waste. It is your party, so don’t be shy and be sure to get all of your questions answered.
DISHWARE AND CUTLERY
Of course, we can’t forget to mention all the dishware and cutlery you need to serve and enjoy the food you prepared. Ideally, you want to set out reusable plates, cups and silverware, but if you need to use disposable, make sure you’re considering what it is all made of.
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