When organizing my 40th celebration, my goal was to throw a stylish and memorable party without breaking the bank or harming the environment. Festive occasions, with their food waste, plastic packaging, and throwaway decorations, can quickly pile up an environmental nightmare. Fortunately, throwing a party doesn’t have to equate to wastefulness. A dash of creativity and a bit of community support allowed me to host an exciting, colorful backyard garden party that generated minimal waste and was cost-effective. Here are a few strategies for organizing an environmentally friendly shindig.

Minimizing food waste and packaging are key considerations. The use of disposable plates, cups, and cutlery is one of the most wasteful aspects of parties. These items are typically single-use, wrapped in plastic, and often end up in trash. Avoiding over-catering, which can be both environmentally and financially expensive, can be averted by organizing a pot-luck dinner where guests bring a shared dish. We used metal cutlery and compostable plates to take this a step further.

Another worthwhile initiative, as suggested by zero-waste author Erin Rhoads, is the Party Kit Network. This community gets together to provide reusable tableware, decorations, and party games for hire. While they may be free, schools or childcare centers might charge a small fee for fundraising. “As a parent, planning a party can be really stressful,” Khoads notes. “With the kit, everyone sees how reusable items can become part of the fun.”

Furthermore, consider reusing what you have and check if you can borrow the remaining needs for your party. Old glassware, items from the thrift store, and sharing within your community can help you decorate and get set without creating new waste.

When it comes to gifting, avoid presents or switch to a ‘fiver birthday’ plan where each guest contributes $5. This allows the birthday child to buy a larger gift later on. This not only normalizes sustainable giving but also decreases costs for guests. You can also ask for handmade cards or useful items rather than mass-produced gifts.

You should look into alternatives to disposable wrapping paper. Avoid wrapping paper as it’s hardly recyclable. You can use newspaper, old sheet music, fabric, or tea towels as wrapping options and use biodegradable tape.

In addition to taking into account low-impact decorations like balloons, which are a danger to marine life, forgo them altogether and opt for homemade decorations, plant or flower arrangements from your garden or neighborhood. You can re-knit, re-use decorations from last time, or avoid them altogether.

Lastly, giving kids’ party bags with eco-friendly items such as homemade play-dough, seed balls, or slices of birthday cake will show others that sustainable choices don’t have to be daunting and still result in enjoyable parties, which can also save money. And doing this could shift habits towards sustainability over long periods.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/22/how-to-plan-have-a-waste-free-birthday-party-supplies-no-balloons-plastic-toys