By Harriet Blake and Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now
Climate and the daily weather forecast will dictate if you entertain al fresco or indoors this summer. Either way, warm weather gatherings lend themselves to being green.
To keep the garden party eco-friendly, and still eco-nomical, think about using durable, reusable goods made from low-impact or re-purposed materials, or if the occasion calls for disposables, make them bioplastic. You don’t have to forfeit the magic, see the twinkly solar lights we found!
So…before you stock up on plastic plates or throwaway table clothes, let’s take a look at what’s available in the greener patio party department. You might be pleasantly surprised that these finds will keep you outfitted for fetes from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and beyond. Get ready with those summer invitations!
Pier 1's selection of recycled glassware is doubly green
We started our hunt looking for tableware, and found this affordable, recycled glass collection at Pier 1. The collection includes goblets ($9), margarita glasses ($8), tumblers ($5) and pitchers ($9).
Spokeswoman Jennifer L. Engstrand says the Fort Worth-based store has made eco-friendly products a part of the mix for a long time. In addition to the recycled glassware, their offerings include recycled newspaper baskets, reusable bags, bio-degradable jute rugs and several rugs and accessories made of “rapidly renewable materials” such as rattan, seagrass and bamboo, she said.
Tags: Bare plates, chameleon solar light sticks, Colores de Pueblo, corn starch cutlery, cotton table cloth, Crate and Barrel, Earthen Palm Leaf plates, Flame Disk, Green Planet plates, green your summer party, Living Echo, palm leaf plates, Pier 1, rattan utensil basket, recycled glassware, Soy Citronella candle, Stalk Market, Sun Oven, Target, Ten Thousand Villages, woven Guatamalan tablecloth
