Green Corner: How to Throw a Zero Waste Party

It’s not hard to host a party or backyard BBQ that ends with no waste.

• Skip the paper products. Use real dishes—your own plus extras you buy secondhand to use again and again. Your guests will love using real plates!
• Use real utensils (again, you can get extras secondhand) OR collect, wash, and reuse your plastic utensils.
• Use cloth napkins OR use unbleached brown paper napkins that can be composted.
• Have a clear clean-up system with labeled containers for dirty dishes/utensils to be washed and reused, compost (food scraps), and recyclables/returnables (bottles, cans.)
• If you don’t have your own compost system or curbside pickup, bring your compostable items to UUAA’s compost bins.
• Do NOT have a garbage can available.

After your party, you’ll have some dishes and napkins to wash, but you will have sent nothing to the landfill. Plus, you will have gotten your guests thinking about a greener way to have a party!

Have an action idea? Send it to greencorner@uuaa.org!