Eco-Friendly Baby Shower

Do you love to host parties, celebrations, or any other social events? It all sounds like fun, but do you like to clean up after?

Just so much trash produced in just a few hours.

Intending to minimize the work of cleaning up and organizing at the end of a party, most people opt for plastic and paper material such as cups, cutlery, plates, napkins, decoration, souvenirs, etc. For that reason, these events have become major producers of disposable garbage.

The need for a change

We already know that the planet is running out of resources and that we must do our part to help avoid the waste that will last over 100 years. Besides, I find it is necessary to educate the next generations on this matter. Therefore, setting an example is the first step, and why not start at my baby shower?

What are some Eco-Friendly items?

Even for those who are ecologically aware, many might still have a difficult time finding eco-friendly materials for a party. I have prepared some tips and ideas for a sustainable party taken from my baby shower in which I hope you enjoy!

Nine Eco-Friendly ideas for your party

1 – Centerpieces

The choices for centerpieces are endless. I used candle holders and borrowed the candles from family members. Other ideas are fruit baskets in which guests could take home, potted plants, tall branches from nearby woodland, vintage bottles, all-natural beeswax candles, picture frames, vases with water, and objects of choice such as stones, flowers, fruit just to name a few.

2 – Location

Throwing the party in a place with plenty of nature and natural light solves many problems: the greenery is already a big part of the decoration and can make the event less formal, which consequently reduces the need to purchase excessive decoration, therefore saving money and the ecosystem. Examples of places are backyards, state parks, and clubs.

3 – Table cloth and napkins

Instead of using a plastic table cloth, I opted for fabric. Cloths are reusable, decreasing the need to use more materials for single-use production. I also decided to buy instead of renting, as I found it cheaper that way and we can reuse it in future parties for Harper.

4 – Cardboard favor box

For the favors, we went with Brazilian pastries. Not only I wanted to stir away from plastic I also wanted to bring some flair and introduce culture to the party. Cardboard boxes are known to be relatively biodegradable. After a while, microorganisms and other decomposers will break the fibers of the cardboard down and produce soil. I chose them with environmental protection in mind and because they fitted perfectly with the party theme.

5 – Cutlery

The shower took place during the lowest point of the pandemic, and we kept safety our priority. We chose to offer finger foods, on a buffet-style table served by one single person. Our guests had the option to eat with their hands or use these adorable bamboo utensils. Bamboo items are a great option because they are technically grass that can be cut without killing the plant. It makes bamboo a highly renewable, eco-friendly resource

6 – Napkin holder

Reusable products assist in preventing pollution by reducing the need to harvest new raw materials. We reused the napkin holders from our wedding. It was kind of special to bring something from our wedding to Harper’s first party.

7 – Plates and trays

Palm leaves are an amazing choice when looking for plates. They are extremely sustainable since they are not cut down from the trees but taken only from the fallen leaves of areca palm trees. They biodegrade in an average of 6-8 weeks and they are aesthetically pleasing.

8 – Guest tables and chairs

Plastic is not biodegradable while wood is an organic material that has a greater potential for re-use, so for that reason, we rented wooden tables and chairs at a local party store. We found some fancy ones but we opted for the basic round wooden tables. At the end of the day, my goal was to be that one person who made a difference by ditching plastic. Hoping that one day, too much of a demand for the product will cause plastic table supply to decrease.

9 – Beverage station

What to serve is something very personal, but my tip to you would be to avoid water bottles and soda cans. I would invest in Estilo glass jar drink dispensers and serve fresh water and natural juices. These jars would look gorgeous once placed in your favorite party theme décor.