Poll: Do you consider environmental sustainability when picking out supplies for your kids' parties?

[Anonymous]

Hi all - I have tried to find environmentally-friendly supplies and decorations for my children's birthday parties in the past (pre-COVID), but I find it difficult and time-consuming to source. I'm interested to know if others do this, too? Any success stories?

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

Not even in the top ten of things I think about when picking these things out.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely! I have always done so.

Single-use and pre-packaged single items have a high negative impact on our planet, in terms of fossil fuels consumed for their manufacture, their transport and the ultra-short time they are used compared to the long time they will pollute the earth in the landfill and as toxic microparticles of plastic in turtles and fish (that later are consumed by humans).

When you think of single-use items, it's preferable to restrict them to medical and research use where sterile products are critical (surgery, for instance). I'm a research scientist and we sterilize a lot of reusable laboratory item. We must push for re-usable or multi-use items in our daily lives.

The party, wedding and catering industry has a environmental reckoning to deal with.

[Anonymous]

No, but we save or pass on things like decorations. We also reuse things like plastic baggies and pretty much anything else that can be washed and reused at home, plus never buy single use packaged items except cheese sticks. Paper plates and plastic utensils get thrown away during parties, but that's a convenience trade off I am willing to make for the small handful of times a year we have a party in the house.

[Anonymous]

I do. Sometimes I end up using things that are not the most environmentally friendly, but I try my best and it absolutely is a consideration.

[Anonymous]

Yes for sure. I mean, when we used to have parties. I HATE plastic junk. We do recycled paper plates, compostable forks (which feel basically like plastic), paper straws, something other than plastic junk for favors, etc. I really try to avoid single-use plastic whenever I can, and it’s really not that hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes for sure. I mean, when we used to have parties. I HATE plastic junk. We do recycled paper plates, compostable forks (which feel basically like plastic), paper straws, something other than plastic junk for favors, etc. I really try to avoid single-use plastic whenever I can, and it’s really not that hard.

PP here. As far as sourcing—I just go to target or Amazon. Both have paper plates and straws and the compostable utensils. Reuse decorations, buy paper (like crepe paper or paper garlands) or borrow from a friend. If you need to do favors, do something other than baggies full of stuff they will play with one time and then throw away...like a Polaroid photo of them from the party, face painting, a cupcake to take home...

[Anonymous]

No. It’s one day a year. I drive a hybrid, have solar panels on the house, and use cloth napkins. Sometimes you just gotta make a choice and move on.

Climate change would continue unabated even if all party decor was eliminated, so focus on things that really matter.

[Anonymous]

Depends. I have used compostable plates and forks etc. They are $$ so I do use paper ones. I don't get traditional plastic favors and try to find something that can be actually used or consumed. I do think actively of how much of the stuff I am using will end up in the trash the next day, but I think like that everyday so parties aren't too different. I reuse, borrow, or give away stuff when I can. It sounds like a lot of mental work, but really it isn't.

[Anonymous]

nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes for sure. I mean, when we used to have parties. I HATE plastic junk. We do recycled paper plates, compostable forks (which feel basically like plastic), paper straws, something other than plastic junk for favors, etc. I really try to avoid single-use plastic whenever I can, and it’s really not that hard.

I'm the same. Kids don't need a bag full of plastic junk for party favors. I pick one thing that is related to the party's theme and get the children that, either placed on a chair or handed when they leave, no bags needed. I don't buy a lot of single-use things, which includes party decorations. Not to say that my kids' parties are sparse, but you don't need plastic signs, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. It’s one day a year. I drive a hybrid, have solar panels on the house, and use cloth napkins. Sometimes you just gotta make a choice and move on.

Climate change would continue unabated even if all party decor was eliminated, so focus on things that really matter.

That's not the right way to look at it. What we want is for people to THINK ENVIRONMENTALLY every time they make a purchase, or choose between Action A and Action B.
Ultimately, it's not about one category of industrial production. We need to get people to prioritize the environment in a reflexive manner, and educate our children to do the same. So, take me for instance: I have parents and grandparents in Europe and Asia. I make great efforts to be environmentally-conscious in my daily life, but I need to use air travel to see my close relatives. Air travel is extremely polluting. What do I do? I'm looking to invest in electric airplane technology. As a 40 year old, perhaps I'll never see the day when all commercial airplanes are electric (but the day when all cars are electric is coming soon, due to decreasing manufacture costs). But my goal is to offset my carbon footprint when there is no environmentally-friendly option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes for sure. I mean, when we used to have parties. I HATE plastic junk. We do recycled paper plates, compostable forks (which feel basically like plastic), paper straws, something other than plastic junk for favors, etc. I really try to avoid single-use plastic whenever I can, and it’s really not that hard.

I'm the same. Kids don't need a bag full of plastic junk for party favors. I pick one thing that is related to the party's theme and get the children that, either placed on a chair or handed when they leave, no bags needed. I don't buy a lot of single-use things, which includes party decorations. Not to say that my kids' parties are sparse, but you don't need plastic signs, etc.

Same here. No plastic junk for favors, fewer decorations, paper rather than plastic.

[Anonymous]

Yes, especially the favors.