Credit: iStockphoto

- Advertisement -

There's nothing more fun than spoiling your kids on their birthday.

As the father of two little angels myself, I certainly get a thrill watching their eyes sparkle in the light of birthday candles and scrunch closed as they make a wish. Not to mention watching them jump around at the prospect of opening their presents.

Birthdays are celebrations for parents, too. They offer a chance to reflect on how our lives have changed over the year. Why shouldn't we treat the family and bend the usual rules a little?

These days, however, more parents are wondering if throwing a great birthday bash means you have to put aside your hard-won green principles.

It's certainly true that the thrill of a party does seem to fade when you spend the rest of the afternoon clearing up mounds of plastic packaging.

But no six-year-old wants a sackcloth- and lentil- themed party. Is it possible to have an eco-friendly birthday party that's still colourful, exciting and memorable? The answer is a definitive yes.

The basics

Organising an eco-friendly birthday party is probably going to involve more than a quick trip to the supermarket.

But harried parents needn't fret. With a modicum of forward planning and a bit of ingenuity, it won't be arduous.

Probably the most important thing is to keep your basic principles in mind.

The principles behind eco-parties are the same as those that underpin all green living—we want as much as possible to be sustainable, local and greenhouse-friendly.

For example, if you're serving food look opt for re-usable crockery and cutlery that can be washed and put away for another occasion. If this isn't possible, consider palm leaf plates, which are biodegradable, and involve no chemicals or synthetics during manufacturing.

Here are some tips to help get you started.

Spreading the word

If you're going to have a birthday party, you need some way of inviting guests. Paper manufacturing uses large amounts of water and energy and creates pollution that you can help limit by going electronic rather than traditional with your invitations.

To cut down on paper waste, send guests an email or text message to make sure they all know the time and place for the festivities.

E-vites, or electronic invitations are all the rage these days and they essentially do the same thing as the paper version.Instead of snail mail, you send a template or custom invitation to your guests' email accounts. Guests can respond by electronically checking their names off the list and can even see who else plans to attend.

If emails aren't your thing, though, consider opting for recycled paper.

There are plenty of places to source eco-friendly invitations that are perfect for handing out around the school playground.

Choosing a venue

Piling party food on a table in a local park and hanging decorations in a nearby tree is a great way to set the party mood, give kids the space they need to run around and avoid too much fuss.

Canberra mum of three, Katie Ward, says she can't stand the idea of driving out of town for a two-hour party.

"I make a point of it," she says. "We try to pick somewhere really local like the oval or park so people don't have to drive."

Australians have one of the world's highest per capita rates of greenhouse gas emissions, partly because of our intensive use of cars for urban transport. So keeping your events within walking, riding or public transport distance is a great way to make a difference.

Still, if you're feeling a little more adventurous look for places that offer a chance to introduce the kids to nature.

Decorations

Traditional party decorations such as balloons have attracted bad press in recent times for their environmental impact. Although latex balloons are biodegradable, some environmental groups have raised concerns about the risk of animals choking on balloon fragments.

If you'd prefer to use an alternative, consider a kind of recyclable paper balloon that originates in Japan. For example, origami. They make great recyclable balloons and you can have a lot of fun with the kids making them.

And instead of paper streamers or other decorations that end up in the bin, you might want to invest in the kind that can be re-used year after year.

Sydney-based firm Annie B's makes colourful bunting in gingham and stripes that would look great in the branches of a tree or on the back fence. Their PlayPalace fabric cubby house would also work well at a party. Founder Ann Anderson says the 100 per cent cotton material is dyed using an environmentally sound process with zero effluent discharge, thanks to a reverse osmosis system in the water treatment plants where recycled water irrigates around 60 acres of prime cultivated land. (www.anniebs.com.au)

Party bags

No kid's party these days would be complete without a party bag as the guests head home. Too often, these are plastic bags filled with junky plastic toys and lollies.

Tracey Yard, a mother of two young kids from Adelaide, has come up with a clever alternative that also solves another problem often faced by the parents of pre-schoolers: what to do with all the artworks they bring home each day?

"With my four-year-old being at kindy now, he comes home with all sorts of treasures," she says. "I try to collect those and all the paintings that come home we use as wrapping paper and make lolly bags out of them."

Yard felt strongly enough about the issue that she has launched a business called A Green Event that supplies "tree-free" paper invitations (made from recycled cotton rag rather than wood pulp) and wrapping for weddings and other events (www.agreenevent.com.au).

If fingerpainting no longer features on your kids' curriculum, try getting them to decorate brown paper bags. Alternatively, you can order a more indulgent, professionally constructed bag from Brisbane outfit Biome. They will put together a paper bag filled with goodies such as pencils from recycled material, popcorn and a fairtrade hemp bracelet. (www.biome.com.au).

Gift ideas

Just about all the party arrangements are been well within your power to control as a parent. But what about the presents your guests bring? Is there a way to avoid excessively packaged, battery-powered or short-lived plastic toys?

"Every time after the party, I'm always so disappointed as I fill rubbish bag after rubbish bag with boxes, plastic wrappers, and plastic packaging!" says Karen Cheng, a Perth designer and mother of two who has a long-running blog about the joys and challenges of being a parent (www.karencheng.com.au). "Perhaps I could have a theme that justifies asking parents to buy a gift that is wooden or paper or fabric like puzzles, wooden trains, wooden cooking sets and books?"

Katie Ward and her husband Toby have a different approach. They ask guests to think about giving a pre-loved book or toy that's in good condition, rather than buying something new. That way toys that other kids have grown out of, such as a bike, are given a new lease of life instead of being relegated to the shed or thrown out. "People love it," Ward says. "And they sometimes bring really good things, like garden toys or dolls houses."

Tracey Yard is going to give the idea a go for her two-year-old son's birthday. "We're having a family do and I've thought that instead of bringing a gift, perhaps the other kids could bring a toy they don't play with any more and give him that instead."

Of course, we each have to find our own level when it comes to the eco-credentials of our kids' parties. But whether you go all out or incorporate just a few eco-party ideas, both your kids and the environment will benefit.