The Weekly Green - Tip 6

Tip #6 - Green tips for your New Years party! 

Invitations:
Evite, email or through your social networking site are probably the most green options!

Reusable or easily recyclable/biodegradable goods:
- Washable plates & glasses instead of disposable - if you don't own that many, opt for recycled or quickly-biodegradable and non-bleached paper or Bagasse (from sugar cane fiber) plates and cups like the ones HERE that are very reasonably priced!
- Cloth napkins instead of disposable
- Cloth tablecloth instead of plastic
- Non-disposable decorations and noisemakers, or those made from recycled home items (see below for some ideas)

Noisemakers from Homemade & Recycled materials:
- You can put pebbles, marbles, rice, beans, bottle caps and the like in closed plastic bottles you have decorated - shake it up to make some nooooise!
- Make finger tamborines from bottle caps by punching a hole through the center and tying a string loop through it (large enough loop for someone's finger to go through) so when they wear them, they can tap their thumb and finger together which brings the bottle caps together to make a fun clap sound - and don't forget to make 2 per person!
- Snapple lid or other similar metal pop-up lid.  If you press hard enough on the inside of the lid around the pop-up center, it makes it a more permanent, loud popper sound when you press it!
- Real whistles and horns (not the disposable plastic kind) that can be brought back out every year (or if your kids play sports, it's a fun thing to make some noise at the games!)

Decorations from Homemade & Recycled materials:
- Cut snowflakes or other decorations like a paper loop chain out of the paper in your recycle bin (you can use newspaper, magazines, recycled paper and bags from Christmas, printed-on pages from your printer that were scrap paper, etc.)
- Make a snowflake from recycled 6-pack plastic holders brought together with tape or staples - HERE is a link to the snowflake How-To!
- Hole-punch confetti from your old newspaper or magazines
- Use candles for mood lighting and turn off some lights

Organic drinks:
- Champagne: Domaine Carneros' Brut Rosé Cuvée Champagne (Domaine is certified by the California Certified Organic Farmers - pictured at right)
- Sparkling juice: Knudsen Organics and Santa Cruz Organics

Organic Appetizers:
- Check out my coupon links on the left hand side of my page for some of my favorite organic foods that have online coupons available most of the time!
- Fresh fruit is another great item to have on hand


Saving Energy:
Don't turn on the TV until 15-minutes before the ball-drop; Instead of playing video games to kill the time, play board games; Use candles for mood lighting instead of so many lights on; See if your guests will carpool, or commit to only one party (yours of course!) to reduce extra driving (double-points if the carpool driver is the designated driver for the night!)

Stay tuned next week for Tip #7!