Throwing an Eco-Baby Shower
Courtesy of Wee Generation
Wee Generation is a unique collaborative partnership between Seventh Generation, Healthy Child Healthy World, and Babystyle.
ry these tips for your next baby shower or any event you are hosting for family and friends. Remember, nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something!
GO ORGANIC! GO LOCAL!
- Visit local farmers’ markets for fruits and vegetables, even floral and greenery.
- Cater with vendors specializing in organic foods or ask them to source area food.
- Serve organic wines, liquors, beers, and juices.
- Use floral designers who source local gardens employing pesticide-free methods.
MINDFUL INVITATIONS- Be creative!
- Use wholly recycled paper goods when possible.
- Use paper made of sustainable fibers like bamboo or sugar cane.
- A new trend in paper: “plantable” paper products. Guests literally read the invitation, plant it in soil, add water and watch wildflowers grow.
- Use these methods for place settings as well.
GREENING THE ATMOSPHERE
- Use soy candles in recycled glass jars or used-baby food containers.
- Accent with greenery and floral cut from immediate surroundings and arrange without the use of florist foam (bundle with raffia or twine or support with stones or floral frogs).
NO PAPER ZONE
- Ask guests to bring gifts, new or gently used, wrapped in baby blankets instead of wrapping paper.
- For gift bags, use bandanas, handkerchiefs, cloth diapers, or other reusable linens in place of tissue paper.
- Use linen napkins. Go an extra step and have them monogrammed with honoree's initials for guests to take as party favors.
- Use china, crystal, and silverware mixed and matched for elegant and kitschy vibe.
- For a gift that can offset any paper use, work with various online services that will plant a tree in honor of the expecting family and child.
ECO-ACTIVITIES
- Purchase organic Baby T’s and have guests decorate with soy-based paints.
- Use an organic Baby T for the guest book (use two – one for front signing and one for back – and frame for honorees as gift).
CLEANING
- Prepare for and wrap up the celebration by cleaning your party space with non-toxic household cleaning products like those offered by Seventh Generation.
- Set up recycling bins for glass, plastic, and aluminum beverage containers.
- Send guests home with leftover foods wrapped in wax paper and a cloth diaper.
Going green for the next baby shower you throw can be a fun way to freshen up this traditional celebration.
