Hosting a kid's birthday party can be a joyous occasion, but it often comes with a lot of waste and financial strain.
From disposable decorations to single-use plates and cups, it can be challenging to host a party without producing a lot of garbage. Additionally, guests may feel pressured to buy expensive birthday presents, which can result in unnecessary waste and financial strain. However, with a little creativity and planning, it is possible to host a fun, sustainable, and budget-friendly party without creating a lot of waste.
One easy way to reduce waste is to avoid buying balloons for the party, especially the metallic number balloons, representing the child’s age. Balloons may seem like a fun and festive decoration, but these polyurethane balloons are estimated to take up to a 450 years to degrade. When balloons end up in the environment, they pose a danger to wildlife that may ingest them or become entangled in them. By skipping balloons at your child's party, you can help reduce your environmental impact and teach your child the importance of sustainability.
Another way to reduce waste is to request guests bring a coin(s) as a gift rather than bringing a physical present. This approach eliminates the waste that occurs when kids are gifted items they don't need or want, and allows children to choose gifts they will truly enjoy.
If one or two dollars doesn’t seem like enough, you could increase the dollar amount, and split it into three segments. For example, make it a $10 gift. $4 can go towards an experience or gift, $3 for the kids Education Savings Fund (or another long term savings plan) and $3 is allocated to a charity of their choice. By encouraging children to save and give back, you can teach them valuable lessons about money management and generosity.
Below are some other tips for hosting a sustainable and waste-free kids party:
- Use reusable or homemade decorations: Instead of buying disposable decorations that will end up in the trash, opt for reusable ones. For example, you can use bunting flags or homemade paper chains that can be stored and reused for future parties.
- Use real plates and cups: Instead of using disposable plates and cups, use real ones that can be washed and reused. If you’re concerned about breakage, opt for compostable plates and cutlery.
- Make your own food: Instead of buying pre-packaged snacks and treats, make your own. Homemade treats not only taste better, but they also eliminate the need for single-use packaging such as the large covers that are often placed.
- Give out sustainable party favours: Instead of giving out plastic toys or trinkets as party favours, consider giving out sustainable options like seed bombs: Kids love getting their hands dirty, so why not give them a chance to get involved in gardening? seed bombs are easy to make and can be tossed into a garden or planter to grow wildflowers.
- Compost: If you use a Bokaski or other composting system make sure to compost any food scraps and other compostable items such as paper napkins and decorations. You can also take the opportunity to educate other kids and parents on the benefits of composting.
By incorporating these tips into your party planning, you can host a fun, sustainable, and budget-friendly party without creating a lot of waste. And by asking guests to bring coins for an experience or gift, their education savings fund, and a charity donation, you can teach children valuable lessons about money management and generosity while also reducing the financial strain on parents and lessening the stress of what to buy.
It's a win for the party hosts, win for the birthday boy or girl, and a win for the environment!
