One thing Brits do best is throw a summer garden party, complete with plates of afternoon tea, the alluring smell of a barbecue, glasses of refreshing Pimm’s and plenty of juicy strawberries. So, if you are planning on hosting a social gathering this summer, here are some tips on how you can be as environmentally-friendly as possible.
1) Avoid single-use tableware
While many of us love parties, they can result in a lot of unrecyclable rubbish, thanks to single-use plastic cutlery, plates, glasses, and tablecloths. So why not avoid this problem and opt for something a little sustainable?
Woking Borough Council recommended asking guests to bring their own tableware, hiring glasses from supermarkets, or buying them second-hand ahead of the Jubilee celebrations at the beginning of June.
Alternatively, you could buy paper varieties, but make sure they can be recycled first.
2) Make decorations
There is no need to buy plastic bunting or lots of balloons as you can create beautiful, festive decorations that can be used again and again.
For instance, you could get a friend to make cloth bunting that you can take out every year; get the kids to make paper chains or woollen pompoms; buy rice paper lanterns or garlands; make your own pinata; or decorate your garden with old jam jars with tea lights in, which will look beautiful in the midsummer dusk.
3) Don’t waste food
Hosts never want their guests to be hungry, so we tend to buy too much food and drink. However, it is better to buy only what you think you’ll need or ask loved ones to bring their own snacks.
If there is leftover food, divide it between the guests to take home, or donate it to a food bank, who can make good use of it. Any food that needs to be thrown away should be put in a recyclable compost box.
For more environmentally-friendly products for your summer party, check out our online eco-core.
