Green Up Your Super Bowl Party

It’s official! It’s Super Bowl time! Let’s celebrate your Super Bowl party,  green style. Save money and the environment by greening your party, and still have a blast watching the big game. To add some eco-friendly excitement, here are some tips on how to make your Super Bowl party the best and greenest on the block.

Start with e-vites

Go electronic with the invitations. Instead of printing and mailing invitations, save the paper and send all your invitations out by email. You not only cut down on your paper consumption, but also get the invitations on the way in a lot less time.

Keep the surroundings simple

Many people spend a lot of money on decorations that everybody notices when they come in, and then never think about again. Don’t buy any new decorations this year. Instead, see what you already have around the house and figure out some new and creative ways to use the stuff. How about lining the buffet table with some fresh sod (white spray paint for field striping) instead of using a table cloth (if needed, protect table with a shower curtain or tarp). Or serve chips and dip in the inside of an old football cut in half and lined with recycled aluminum foil. Cloth napkins can be crafted in a snap using pinking shears and an old table cloth in your team’s colors. Roll them up and place inside an upturned football helmet for more fun.

In any event, it you just add a few simple festive touches instead of going all out, you’ll save yourself hours of putting up and taking down decorations.

Local, Local, Local

Make all the eats using food that is local. Buy your beer from a local brewery, make snacks and sandwiches using fruits and vegetables purchased at the local farmer’s market. This one simple aspect helps make your party less dependent on the need to use fossil fuels to transport the food from across the country, or possibly across the world.

Cut down on the Paper Waste

Use your usual dishware and cutlery. While paper plates and disposable glasses and cutlery are convenient, they are not necessary environmentally friendly. It really won’t take that long to wash the dishes, anyway.

Run a clean grill

If you’re one of those hardy people who don’t mind cooking outdoors in the dead of winter, think green. If you own a charcoal grill, consider something like Greenlink’s All Natural Briquettes. They’re made from entirely renewable materials, such as coconut husks, and don’t contain clay or anthracite fillers. Skip the liquid charcoal starter for an electric one, or opt for an efficient charcoal chimney to get things going

Share the wealth

Unless you want to be eating leftovers for the next several days, invite each of your guests to bring along a small container they can use to take some of the snacks home. Maybe arrange the leftovers on a reusable but cheap platter, wrap it with cellophane and a bow, and give them to that elderly neighbor down the street, or the family across the street who have several children. Everybody will be happier.

Of Course… the three R’s

Reduce, reuse, and recycle by decorating with items you already have or can make yourself. Also, use recyclable dinning products or your dishwasher to cut on waste. Always have your recycle bin handy so your guests don’t have to ask where it is.

Relax

Keep in mind that the idea is to use green ideas when and as you can. Don’t guilt yourself into not enjoying the party because you couldn’t get locally brewed beer or have to use disposable plates because you don’t have enough real ones to go around. The idea is to make the best use of what you have, not make you feel bad about not having more.