Hi everyone,
We’re back after an unplanned July hiatus, featuring:
a bike trip from Burlington to Montreal
a visit from a California friend
a visit from COVID-19, likely in response to the first 2 bullet points
& thankfully, more writing work than anticipated
This week, I had the opportunity to chat with mother-daughter duo Elizabeth and Bella Rueter, who recently threw a low waste grad party for Bella in Stillwater, NY.
[Note: As an Upstate NYer myself, this was particularly fun for me. Thanks, Elizabeth & Bella 😊]
The party, mostly planned by Elizabeth, was between 60 and 70 people. When asked if she had talked to Elizabeth about the party being low waste, Bella said that “it was assumed that a low waste grad party is what I would want” as she tries to make everything her family does low waste.
Here are some things Bella and Elizabeth did to throw a low waste party:
Used bamboo plates and bowls
Clearly labelled compost bins, recycling bins, and trash bins, with instructions on where to throw waste items
Got their food from a local restaurant
Served vegetables from their garden
Bought reusable paper lanterns, instead of balloons
Instead of red solo cups, Elizabeth bought glassware and water pitchers from local thrift stores
Crafted photo displays from corks that Elizabeth has been collecting
Made table centerpieces from items they already had
Used cutoffs saved from Bella’s prom dress (when she had it hemmed) to wrap party favors
Watered their plants from the party’s leftover ice
Borrowed yard games from friends, like kan jam and corn hole
When asked if throwing a low waste party is any more difficult than, for lack of a better term, high waste party, Bella said:
“as long as you have the intention [to throw a low waste party], I don’t think it’s any more difficult. It’s not as complicated or inaccessible as people think it is… even if you just make one swap, that’s great.”
Elizabeth added that it might not have been much more work, but “you definitely have to be willing to put the work in in advance.”
Question for other upcyclists: have you thrown a low waste party, or made low waste swaps at a party? If so, what did you do? I’ll be collecting answers on Instagram Stories, so keep an eye out (or message me here). 👀
Upcycling in the press
Lastly, I wanted to share a story I wrote about renewable energy in my new town of Burlington VT, published in Next City.
Happy upcycling, ⬆️♻️
Sasha