Plastic Free Party

Join us in celebrating a conscious Christmas this year with a few simple steps for organising a festive party with minimal waste and impact on our environment.

1. Borrow glasses, plates and cutlery

Most guests will ask you if they should bring anything. Instead of them bringing more food or drinks (let’s face it, you’ve already bought and made way too much), why not swap BYO drinks to BYO cutlery?

Many supermarkets offer free glass hire, so you can make sure you have plenty of champagne flutes, wine glasses and pint glasses for everyone.

If you’re worried about breakages or don’t want to ask your guests to bring anything, bamboo cutlery, plates and cups are a great eco-friendly investment for parties, picnics and beyond. Bamboo is durable, heat resistant and can often go in the dishwasher – handy!

If you already have plastic cups and forks, wash them to use again - single-use plastic doesn’t have to be single-use!

2. See ya, straws!

Did you know that gin is better drunk without a straw? As 80% of taste is smell, drinking from a straw can mean that we miss a lot that the botanicals in gin have to offer. Wine or beer should never be drunk through a straw either (it won’t end well!), but if you must – go for paper.

3. Fancy finger food

Avoid the need for cutlery at all by serving up finger food only – or canapés if you’re feeling fancy. Lay everything out for people to take as and when they want, reducing food waste too. Once the party is over, you can cook up and give out or freeze leftovers and donate chocolates, snacks and dry foods to a local food charity or shelter.

4. Less food, more fun!

Did you know that food and drink waste is accountable for 20% of the UK’s Co2 emission? Many supermarkets now let you use your own containers to place your fresh meat, fish, fruit and veg in. This means you only buy what you need without using countless plastic bags that will go straight in the bin.

5. Homemade decorations

Get everyone involved in decorating the house ready for a party! Use last year’s cards to make bunting, upcycle and reuse old decorations rather than buying more (especially stay away from tinsel and glitter to avoid harmful microplastics). Or look to nature for ways to way to decorate the house without plastic. Look for pine cones, branches and berries in your local park, for example, and get the whole family involved in looking for them! We also recommend turning empty glass bottles into candle holders or vases for a really effective and special look.