Setting the trend for ethical party bags
| Author: Irene Robertson | Published: 3rd March 2008 17:45 |
Setting the trend for ethical party bags
Goodie bags are a must at most parties and kids love them! However in this "consume me" age, children's party bags are all too often an environmental crime!
Plastic bags (which are suffocation hazards for both your child and wildlife - not to mention the amount of time they take to degrade) filled with cheap plastic toys, easily broken, unloved and thrown in the dustbin by the time you get home. What a waste!
The added pressure of keeping up with the Jones's also tends to set parents up to think of the best gifts, which often ends up resulting in more plastic waste, raising budgets and added stress.
The good news; there are now an abundance of opportunities for imaginative and simple ways to incorporate creative items in to your party bags that will go a long way to make a difference - it also sets a great example for our children and teaches them the mantra of the 3 R's - reduce, re-use and recycle!
You can find a great selection of eco-friendly party supplies at http://www.littlecherry.co.uk/; Choose a cotton party bag , which is fantastically useful after the party for jigsaw puzzles or small toys or if your budget doesn't stretch to that, choose paper party bags secured with "Please recycle me!" stickers which can be recycled after the party and come free with your order!
Choose toys which are made from sustainable wood and painted in non-toxic paints like these traditional wooden toys, how about a lovely wooden bracelet, some hair slides and hair bands for girls and a wooden clown car and whistle for boys? Add a character pencil and a slice of cake to create a party bag which is eco-friendly and fun... but still affordable!
If your children are older and past the age where a wooden whistle or clown car will do, how about choosing a recycled notepad and pencil made from recycled cd cases, or a pencil case made from recycled car tyres? Not only does this pave the way for children to think about where products come from, but it also shows them a real example of what fun products can be made when they make the effort to recycle, and spreads the message into schools through their friends.
Due to the mounting piles of plastic waste, it's no longer about quantity where party bags are concerned... but quality and sustainability. Let's all be thoughtful and set a good example for our children - what a fun way to set the trend for a sustainable, eco-friendly future!
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