Toddler

It's so much fun to celebrate your kid and entertain their friends on their birthday, but what's NOT fun is the waste birthday parties can create. And we all hate the "goody" bags filled with plastic junk and candy, right?

There is a better way, and you can learn about it in this edition of Mom Ed:Green Living (video after the jump). It's possible to have a greener birthday party without junking up the planet...or emptying your wallet.

First up is the invitations. Save paper by using electronic invites, or get your kids involved and cut up old cards or magazines to make your own.  Another cool idea is seed paper. These beautiful sheets of handmade paper have flower seeds embedded in them; when you're done, tear up the paper and bury it and in a few weeks, you'll have gorgeous flowers.

Decorations are the next thing to help set the mood. Make a birthday banner using card stock and letters cut out of stencils, use old magazine pages to make paper chains; or, for a really cool and modern looking decoration, string felt circles along a piece of thread. All of these make great, reusable garlands you can enjoy for years. You can even find felt made from recycled plastic bottles!

That felt also can be used for birthday crowns; make one for the birthday kid or for the whole party. Felt is especially good for those of us without awesome sewing skills; all you need is glue!

For the table, ditch the plastic tablecloth and cover it with butcher paper and cups full of crayons for your guests to draw on. Use cloth napkins and real silverware, or, if you're worried about breakage, use bamboo utensils, which will break down in a landfill. You can also find compostable corn partyware.

Of course it's not a party without cake, which you can make from scratch or use an organic mix.

Instead of the candy-filled goody bag, have a durable parting gift such as a terra-cotta pot with a packets of seed, or upcycled crayons wrapped in muslin cloth. Mix CDs are also a popular party favor!

Learn more in the video:

Have you thrown an eco-friendly birthday party? What tips can you add?

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Image via CafeMomStudios.