How to throw an eco-friendly party

As patios bloom with cold drinks and barbecues get fired up, use this guide to have the greenest shindig on the block

I suspect that we socialize more during the spring and summer months. Under the warm sun, patios bloom with cold drinks and conversation, barbecues get fired up, and parties quickly spill out on to decks and into back yards. Shifting these sweet summer parties to ones that are also waste-free can be both simple and inexpensive, with just a few small shifts to the status quo.

The first step is to keep invitations virtual. Creating a Facebook event or sending a simple email is perfect for inviting guests to your party without generating waste from paper invitations, and if you're looking for something a bit more formal, sites such as Greenvelope and Paperless Post have given the cheesy e-vite a brilliant makeover. Virtual invites also allow you to track RSVPs, communicate with guests, and provide clickable info about your event.