Hawai'i Has the Goods on Events

I love Hawai'i, from the beaches, the weather, to the beloved family parties. As much as I love the huge family gatherings it pains me to see all the paper plates, disposable utensils, and numerous unsustainable items being thrown in the rubbish. Granted its hard to through parties for hundreds of people when on a "limited" budget, and until the price of biodegradable products comes down; I'm afraid this trend will continue.

While researching I found that the county of Hawai'i offers free green event planning tips. The county of Hawai'i will provide H-5 beverage container recycle bins free of charge. You can reserve bins for your party so your guests know where to throw their recyclable containers. Free bins, and you get to profit from turning in 100s of cans and bottles. Visit the Hawai'i Department of Environmental Management website for the reservation forms for your next party. If you don't live in Hawai'i check your county's Waste Management website for recycle information and tips.

Here's a few tips you can follow to help green your next event:
*Send an E-Vite: I love this site! A nice quick way to email your invitees, keep track of who's coming, add voter boxes, and lists on what to bring. Save on paper and send an electronic invitation.

*If you the party is small enough use real dinnerware. I know its easy to go the paper plate route, but real dinnerware not only looks better, it saves on trees.

*Save your hands and use your dishwasher (if you have one). A misconception is that hand washing dishing is more environmentally friendly. In fact your dishwasher uses less water than hand washing. Dishwashers use 5.8 gallons of water, when rinsing dishes alone takes 20 gallons of water. So scrape, don't rinse, and save your hands and let the machine do the work.

*Compost your scraps: Bury your waste. You can compost veggies, fruits, and egg shells. No dairy or meat products. Burying your waste creates great soil for gardening and reducing waste in the landfills.

*Get a Brita water filter! Come on people, the amount of plastic bottles that end up in the landfill, which then end up in the ocean is ridiculous! Plus, there are more regulations for county water than there are on bottled water companies. This will not only save waste, but save your green.

*Smile and have a blast! Hey a great attitude is also great for the planet. Happiness is infectious, so make it a great party!