Eco-Friendly Parties and Events
Rethinking Your Simcha:
A Guide to Environmentally Friendly Choices for Events and Parties
Mazel tov on your upcoming simcha!
The goal of this guide is to help our congregation think about how to celebrate a joyous occasion while keeping our natural world in mind. The idea of “reduce, reuse, recycle” is a guiding principle to inform many of our decisions as we welcome, feed and entertain guests.
In planning your special event, ask yourself:
· What can we do differently to lessen the environmental impact of our celebration?
· How much paper are we using for invitations and responses?
· Could plants or reusable items take the place of cut flowers?
· Can leftover food be given to Second Helpings?
· Can we order food that is organic or produced locally?
We understand that sometimes going the more eco-friendly route means going the more expensive route. Cost is certainly a major factor in party planning, and there may be some great ideas that put too much strain on your budget. However, perhaps you can still find a way to incorporate a few green ideas into your special event and still have a positive effect on the environment. If all of us make conscious choices to reduce, reuse and recycle it will make a big difference.
As we celebrate the milestones of our loved ones, let’s think not only of this special day in their lives, but also of the future earth that they and their children will inherit. We can make a difference, one party at a time!
From the Congregation Beth Shalom’s Social Action Committee