How to Throw a Green Cocktail Party
The New Orleans Examiner
September 3, 2009
So you want to throw a cocktail party but you can't stand the thought of all of the disposable cups and plates at the end of the night. What is an environmentally conscious host or hostess to do? Not to worry, it's easier than you think to throw an environmentally friendly party and your guests won't even be able to tell the difference. Here are five easy tips for throwing a green and unique cocktail party.
1. Local or Organic Cocktails: Instead of buying mass produced or imported liquor, support local businesses by buying beer and alcohol from nearby microbreweries or distillers. New Orleans offers a multitude of options from the Old New Orleans Rum Company to NOLA Brewery.
There are also a number of organic spirits on the market such as Square One Vodka and Tru Organic Spirits which boasts negative carbon emissions. Tru Spirits plants one tree for every bottle of vodka or gin produced and uses recycled packaging.
2. Cups: Take those Mardi Gras cups out of storage and serve beer or cocktails in them instead of disposable party cups. Hosts can combine this idea with a Mardi Gras theme any time of year by decorating with beads, and purple, yellow, and green decor.
3. Tableware: Replace wasteful paper plates, bowls, and plastic cutlery with biodegradable products made out of cornstarch or potato starch. They look and feel exactly the same as normal disposable supplies. Even Wal-Mart has jumped on the green bandwagon and most stores now carry biodegradable dinnerware that doesn't cost much more than paper or plastic. Buy these bio products at Whole Foods or from online stores like EcoProducts.com, Worldcentric.org and Buygreen.com.
4.Decorations: Instead of buying decorations you'll only use once use recycled decorations: take out those icicle lights from Christmas and decorate your space with them for a romantic ambiance. Or in keeping with the green theme put out fresh flowers and soy candles for a lighter mood.
5. Food and Appetizers: Shop at your local farmers market for local, organic foods to prepare for snacks and appetizers. Try making these candied orange peels from local oranges or stuffed mushrooms with ingredients from the farmers market. Fresh salsa and guacamole are also easy to make and will easily impress the guests. Buy fresh mint for mojitos or use as a nice garnish. Hosts can also go the extra mile by infusing their own vodka with pepper, vanilla, or cinnamon for an extra kick.