How to Throw a Zero Waste Party + Low Waste Birthday Tips

The day this post’s video comes out is my birthday! So, what better way to celebrate than to talk about how to throw an eco-friendly birthday party that anyone of any age can use as a guide? Now, I’m not much of a partier or party-thrower so I never considered making this as a video, but the timing was too good to pass up!

A lot of this can even be used for any party, any potluck, or any celebration. You can even use them for the many upcoming holidays. So, leave your eco-party tips below!

Planning

Joint parties

If you have friends with birthdays around yours or if your kids have birthdays close to one another, you can have a joint birthday party to reduce waste virtually in half. Of course, this can be a sensitive topic as you want everyone to feel like the star, so make sure all the birthday folks are celebrated and heard for their ideas. My brother and I both have birthdays the week of Thanksgiving so we often had joint parties on or around that holiday to really maximize less waste. And of course, this also saves money on things like food!

Digital invites

In the age of digital technology, there is no excuse to still send out physical cards. Maybe you want to save one for yourself as a memento, but few people are going to actually keep them. Instead, design them for free on an app like Canva and send them out via email or text. This can be super easy, cheap, and low waste.

I whipped this up in under 5 minutes on Canva for free!

Buy nice birthday decor and reuse them year after year

If you need to buy new, invest in some good items. Especially if you have multiple kids, this can last you YEARS instead of having to buy and throw away cheap decor every birthday or every year. You can also buy items you can reuse around the house such as tablecloths, chairs, and so forth. Put them to use more than once a year!

Borrow or rent what you don’t have

Easily the most eco-friendly option is to buy or rent. Whether you need more chairs to accommodate guests or you don’t have a sign or decorations, ask a friend or family member to borrow items instead. Or, check your local party store to see if they do rentals so you don’t have to worry about storing items for a year and hoping you don't lose them. Plus, the less we all buy new the better!

Decorations

Avoid plastic decorations that are single-use

Streamers, balloons, confetti, they’ve gotta go. Good news, you can find alternatives for these such as paper streamers that can be easily recycled, confetti made out of paper or leaves, and so forth. But please, ditch the plastic. It’s pollutive to create, it often gets littered, and it most certainly cannot be recycled. Where there are so many better options that are just as accessible, please avoid plastic.

Reuse decor

Don’t throw that decor out! Reuse it until it’s no longer usable. If you don’t think you’ll use it again, donate it so someone else can use it. Even the not-so-nice, cheap-end items can still be reused over and over until you can’t anymore. My mom got this birthday banner probably for $1 in the 90s and still uses it. It has some tears, clear signs of use, and love, but it’s a core memory for us all that we all shared this sign. It’s so nostalgic and you can start fun traditions this way.

Support local!

Local florists, local bakers, local artists, local photographers, and so forth. Even if they aren’t perfectly zero waste, supporting a small business vs Walmart, Target, or Amazon is a huge step in the right direction for the environment. By nature, small businesses are less wasteful, especially if they’re local to you, that’s also fewer emissions. Plus, it’s helping your neighbor instead of a billionaire.

Thrift decor

I already hinted at this by you donating your old decor, but thrift decor, too! I need party decor all the time at the thrift store and it is usually cheaper and of course, less wasteful. Check out this video about why shopping second-hand is better for the planet to learn more. But, don’t just look for traditional party decor, look for party favors, look for props, and other things that can help give your party life instead of just streamers or Paw Patrol party hats.

Ditch helium

What? Helium? It’s not inherently bad for the environment, but it is a resource that we are running out of since helium is a non, non-renewable resource on Earth. Just like water and energy and fossil fuels, we need to conserve. Especially since helium is non-renewable. and is used in a lot of medical equipment. Prices are also going up due to this, so that’s another reason to not use it. If you still want balloons and you still want them to stand up, consider taping them to a dowel!

And please…PLEASE…do NOT release your balloons! They just end up as litter.

For themes, encourage guests to thrift to match

I’ve seen so many fun party themes on TikTok that could be used for birthdays or general parties. Maybe not for kids, but for teens and adults. Themes such as dressing up as the birthday person, dressing as your zodiac sign, couples costume where you dress in things that rhyme, and dressing as famous bald people. Get creative and encourage your guests to use what they have and thrift what they don’t!

Repurpose home decor

You don’t need fancy chairs or signs or candles or tablecloths for parties, use what you have! You don’t have to buy anything new which saves money and waste and you get to put that item right back to use when the party is over.

Candles

Paraffin wax is oil-based! This makes it pollutive to create and to burn. It’s best for our health and the health of the planet to use natural waxes from things like bees or soy.

Activities/Venue

Rent equipment large equipment

Things like cotton candy machines, bounce houses, etc. are great options to rent vs buy. I’m not sure who is buying a whole bouncy house for one party, but wanted to include that doing these things for a party is inherently lower waste. Renting means that more and more new items do not need to be created which reduces waste greatly. Of course, it also means that this item won’t just get used once and turned to waste. Head to your local party or outdoor rec store to see what items they have available to rent.

Pick lower-waste activities

Experience parties are the best parties! One year my brother’s joint party with me was at a trampoline park. Super low waste and SO much fun, especially since my closest friends at the time all did gymnastics with me, this was the most fun we could’ve had. Other ideas are museums, city parks (or state or national), arcades, water parks, ice skating rinks, and so forth. Pick an activity that all guests can partake in and watch the waste be reduced!

Don’t litter and clean up any mess

This should go without saying, but if you have your party outside, don’t litter and clean up your mess. Also, a bonus, make sure things like napkins, paper plates, trash bags, etc. are secured so that they don’t become litter accidentally. Especially if you do partake in things like confetti (please don’t) and balloons, you do NOT want those becoming litter since they will enter the food chain and harm animals.

Food/Serving

Make food vs buying it prepackaged if possible

If you have the time and energy, make some or all of your food! Finger foods like veggie trays, fruit trays, cookies, charcuterie boards, and so forth can be very easy and include little or less waste than buying them premade. You can also control the ingredients and flavors, making them exactly as you like!

Make it a potluck

Or, you can ask your guests to help you and make it a potluck! Ask guests to bring different components to a meal and then you have a lower waste party with little effort on your part. Then everyone can also feel involved. You can also swap recipes as a bonus gift.

Check the bulk bins for finger foods or buy the largest packaged options

Another great option for snacks is the bulk store. You can often find trail mix, Chex mix, candies, and so forth in these bins package-free. These items you’re likely to just dump in a bowl for guests to pick at anyway, so skip the packaging! If you don’t have a bulk store, you can still shop in bulk by choosing the largest bag of candy or the largest bag of chips. This reduces how much packaging you will be throwing away and is less wasteful.

Use reusable utensils and napkins

We used to host parties a lot in Okinawa since we were among our only friends not living in the dorms. So, instead of buying a bunch of disposables, I thrifted cheap utensils and plates and had zero-waste meals! You don’t have to buy anything fancy, thrifting is super cheap and extra low waste. You could also encourage guests to bring their own plates or ask a neighbor or friend to borrow an extra set of dishes for the occasion.

Or opt for bioplastics from brands like Repurpose

But, maybe you’re having a party that is a little too large for reusables (like a large family gathering or graduation party). Disposables are definitely the easier way to go than washing 100s of plates. Check out Repurpose. They make disposables out of bioplastic so they are less harmful to the plant. Bonus points if your city does commercial composting, then it truly is zero waste! You can learn more in this video about why I still support bioplastics even though I can’t compost them. They have cups, plates, bowls, and utensils!

Try a drink dispenser vs juice boxes

This one is particularly for kids, but ditch the non-recyclable juice pouches and boxes and use a drink dispenser instead. You can ask friends to borrow some extras (or thrift them, I see them all the time at thrift stores) so you can have multiple options. Bonus points if you make things like lemonade from scratch, but the easier option is mix. While still wasteful, boxes or plastic tubs of mix are LESS waste and also are usually recyclable. Of course, use your reusable cups or bioplastic cups. If you can’t do either of these, opt for cups made out of plastic #1 or #2 (learn more about what this means here) for more guaranteed recyclability.

Send leftovers home with guests

Don’t let anyone go home empty-handed, send them home with some food! This is an easy way to prevent food waste. Unless you think you and your family can eat it all, ask your guests to help. Alternatively, you can pass some out to friends and neighbors after the shindig.

Opt for drinks in recyclable packaging

Things like juice pouches and red solo cups are hard or impossible to recycle. So, ditch them for your next party. If you can’t do drink dispensers, the best option is to go for drinks in recyclable materials such as plastics #1-2, cans, or glass bottles. Of course, this depends on your area. For example, Spokane doesn’t recycle glass, so I would opt for metal cans which have the highest rates of recyclability.

Encourage guests to recycle and compost

If you have recyclable and compostable items at your party, have designated bins ready to go! Don’t send all that valuable material to the landfill and don’t put in all that work to recycle or compost without following through. Set bins or bags out, label them, and spread the rules around the party.

Gifts

Thrift or regift toys and other items

I know it’s still a bit taboo, but it can be done nicely! If your child or your friend has a specific gift in mind, try finding it secondhand. Dan and I often do this and the gifts are just as nice but keep something from the landfill, prevent something new from being created, and save money. You can also regift items such as books, clothing, or unopened gifts you or your child never used.

If you buy new gifts, aim for less packaging

What this means is to choose gifts in recyclable packaging such as cardboard or the littlest amount of packaging. So many toys are packaged in plastic inside a cardboard box and it’s all zip-tied together and other parts in other bags and it can get wasteful quickly! So, be mindful of the packaging associated with a gift if possible.

Party favors

Ditch party favors or gift them something useful like snacks, books, etc., not wasteful junk you got from the dollar store because you felt obligated. Let’s unlearn this obligation. It’s your party or your child's, you do NOT have to give guests something, especially junk that will just clutter their house. If you feel the need, be mindful about choosing less wasteful and more useful party favors.

Eco gift wrapping

I have a full video on eco gift wrapping from Christmastime, but it can be applied all year for any occasion! Things like using 100% paper so it can be recycled, using reusable wrapping such as scarves or bags, just omitting the wrapping altogether, and so forth. You can even gently open wrapping paper and reuse it and reuse bags for the next party you attend.

Tell guests what presents you or your child would actually want

Another topic I bring up every Christmas season, but this seriously helps avoid unwanted gifts and the need to return or donate an item. Tell your guests what your child wants or what you want for gifts. It can be a list of 10, 20, or 30 things so that it can still be a surprise, but then it’s not going to be something that goes to waste. Essentially make an Amazon registry or wish list and have your guests pick from that. If you do get a gift you don’t want, can’t use, or what have you, save it to regift to someone else, sell it, return it, or donate it to hopefully get some use out of it instead of the landfill.

Go gift-less or opt for experience gifts

Or, you could ask your guests NOT to bring gifts, and if they feel obligated or have the desire to still do a gift, ask for money, gift cards, or experience gifts such as sports classes, music lessons, and so forth. This will greatly reduce waste while still being a lot of fun for the receiver.

If you’re looking for some eco-gift ideas, check out my guides of years past and join us next week for my 2023 zero-waste gift guide! They may be released for Christmas, but you can use these ideas all year:

Low waste gifts Ideas 2022; let’s talk small businesses!

Eco-friendly gift guide 2021

Zero waste stocking stuffers (Zero Waste Gift Guide 2020)

Zero Waste Essentials Gift Guide 2020

Thank you so much for reading along and for celebrating my birthday with me in this way. I hope you have a great holiday season and can implement some of these into your family parties this year and in the years to come.

As always, your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)

Emma