6 ways to throw an eco-friendly party this holiday season

The holiday season is upon us! Holidays are all about celebration, with the end of year in Aus seeming like weeks of endless parties. If you’re hosting this season, you can take some steps to make your parties more eco-friendly, without compromising on the fun and festivities! 

Buy local fruits and veggies 

Ditch the grocery store and head to your local farmers’ market for your fruit and veggie needs. The produce you find in grocery stores have typically travelled long distances and can take up to a few weeks before they make it onto your grocery store’s shelves. This leads to more air-flown emissions, as well as less flavourful food. 

Opt for organic wine

We’d never ask you to give up the vino! however, simply switching to organic wine is great for you and the environment. Organic wines are free from artificial additives, GMOs, and added sulphites, and must use organic grapes; this keeps it free from harmful chemicals. Organic wines are the eco-friendly option as they help the environment by avoiding the use of pesticides and herbicides that can eliminate biodiversity, with organic wine producers creating habitats for other wildlife and insects whose natural processes aid the soil. 

Decorate with wildflowers 

Though conventional flowers are natural in theory, cut flowers bought from the supermarket or florists are generally wrapped in cellophane, which – although biodegradable – tends to end up in landfills due to improper disposal. When trapped in landfills and deprived of oxygen, both cellophane and flowers releases methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

Decorating with wildflowers and greenery allows you to create gorgeous decorations and centrepieces without harming the environment. When your party is over, try pressing or drying the flowers, or compost them. 

Compost your food scraps

Food waste is real, and though we’re not about to tell you to salvage the leftovers on your guest’s plates, that doesn’t mean you should throw them in the garbage. Either compost them at home, or drop them off at a community compost bin (many local farmers markets have these). Composting works with coffee grounds and food scraps like leftovers, veggie peelings, and fruit skins. 

Light up with candles

Throwing a holiday dinner? Opt for candles – they save electricity while creating an intimate, romantic mood. Look for candles made from soy-based wax. 

Wrap it up

Gift-giving is a natural part of the holiday season, however traditional wrapping paper, though beautiful, isn’t very eco-friendly. Glittery or foil-printed wrapping paper isn’t recyclable and generally ends up in landfills. To avoid this, reuse newspapers, magazines, used paper bags, and old wrapping paper to wrap your gifts – after all, it’s what’s inside that counts!

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