Green Tips for Entertaining
Five for keeping the planet Alive when you party!
1. When planning your party menu try your best to incorporate organic ingredients you can buy locally (be a locovore!). Shop your local farmers market for fruits and veggies that are in season. Steer clear of imported items like cheese and wine and instead buy those that are sourced from your area. To spice up your menu, grow your own herb garden. Plant herbs, such as basil, mint, parsley, thyme, rosemary, cilantro and you'll be ready at a moment's notice to spice up any cocktail, dish or dessert. Fresh herbs have the power to transform simple meat, fish, pasta, produce, (whatever you have on hand) into a fabulously fresh dish. Whatever you do, keep it simple and let the freshness and goodness speak for itself.
2. Use fresh produce or flowering plants as your centerpiece(s). A day or two after your party, use the fresh produce. Plant the flowering plants in your garden/container garden or send home with your guests to plant in their garden as a remembrance of "good times."
3. Purchase inexpensive glass or melamine plates that you can reuse party after party, instead of buying paper plates from the local party store or supermarket. You'll recoup your initial investment after a few parties and you'll avoid dumping a boatload of paper plates into the garbage. If you're worried about clean up, don't be. Scrape the plates, stack them and worry about them later if you can't fit them in your dishwasher. If you want a happy medium especially for the summer, consider Bambu renewable plates.
4. Go green with electronic invitations. Avoid wasting paper, fuel, time and energy — think of everything that goes into mailing invitations! If you are sending traditional invitations, pick ones that use recycled paper.
5. Make recycling easy for your guests by putting out decorative baskets/buckets lined with clear plastic bags, label them "glass" or "plastic" and put them near your regular trash.
