How to Have an Organic Party

10 easy tips that keep the fun and flavor in BBQs and backyard parties, while lessening their environmental impact. Also see these 12 healthy BBQ tips.

July 2, 2009 at 12:04PM by Alexandra Zissu | comment

Parties are on my mind of late – we’ve been happily slogging through a bunch of birthday parties, end-of-school fairs, and plenty of summer gatherings. I’ve gotten several emails lately asking how to green these parties, including 4th of July celebrations. Here are my suggestions. Fittingly, I’m typing these on my own birthday.

FOOD

Buy Local, Buy Organic
'Tis the season to serve local food. Opt for organic local when you can find it. Why bother with cupcakes when you can serve a flat of local blueberries and first of the season peaches?
Serve Grass-fed Beef (or Why Not Squash?)
The number one way to reduce the impact of a BBQ party is to serve grass-fed hamburgers. The environmental toll of conventional meat is gargantuan. It’s also totally inhumane. See the excellent film Food Inc. for an education (or a refresher course) on hamburger patties, agribusiness chickens and more. Grilled “squash burgers” are another fabulous option – cut pattypans into thick rounds and grill.
Be Careful with Your Condiments
Don’t forget about going organic for mustard, ketchup, pickles, buns and more. If you’re using charcoal, buy sustainable briquettes (Whole Foods carries some or try these and never use lighter fluid. It’s highly toxic.
Avoid Fishy Fish
If you’re serving fish, choose wisely. Double check it’s health concerns and environmental impact by surfing over to any number of seafood selectors.
Do DIY Desserts
If you’re bothering with cupcakes or cake for that matter, make them yourself so you can use local eggs, organic butter, and Fair Trade sugar. Or buy them from a bakery that considers these sorts of things. Use non-GM soy or beeswax birthday candles.
Choose Local Bevies, Too
Drink wisely. Choose local wines (preferably from organically grown grapes) and beers, and give the kiddies water (float some local blueberries in it to make it more exciting). Or local (100 percent, no sugar added) juice. In my farmers’ market right now this includes cider as well as currant juice (this has honey added actually, as the beekeeper also grows currants).

TABLE TOP

Try BYO Plates, Cups and Utensils
Don’t use disposable plates, utensils, cups, or napkins. You use them for 20 minutes or so, they last a lifetime in a landfill. If you’re throwing a school party, give people $1 off food items if they bring their own plates. We did this recently at our preschool spring fair (it wasn’t even my idea) and it worked very well. We saved $7 dollars – more than enough for several ice cream cones.
Compost, Don't Toss
If you’re using disposables, opt for compostable disposables like corn-derived plastic cups, and biodegradable plates. Do compost them when you’re done. Even biodegradable items don’t biodegrade in overcrowded landfills.
Waste Not
Check out The Lazy Environmentalist’s episode about greening the waste created by a lazy family’s barbeque. NB: Host Josh Dorfman doesn’t go into meat choices with the family, just waste. Maybe he realized he couldn’t change everything in a family that didn’t even believe in climate change!? Baby steps...