10 Easy Ways to Reduce Waste on Your Birthday

February is my birthday month, so naturally that has me thinking of all the fun and foibles birthdays can bring. Last year I had a milestone birthday that had me reflecting on life lessons. This year I’m thinking about the waste we can create while celebrating and that’s why I’m sharing 10 easy ways to reduce waste on your birthday. Any holiday or celebration can create waste–some necessary and some unnecessary. That means that there’s also an opportunity to reduce waste!

Reducing Waste on Your Birthday

Whether you’re having a low-key celebration or a full on birthday party, any celebrations are possibly going to create waste. Because of that, here are 10 easy ways to reduce waste on your birthday!

Reduce Waste with Your Birthday Decorations

1. Use second-hand decorations

Whether it’s from your local thrift store or Buy Nothing Group, there are a number of second hand treasures to be found. Second hand decorations are a great way to reduce waste on your birthday.

Last year for my friend’s birthday, I asked my Buy Nothing Group if anyone had birthday decorations to gift. I regularly see things like candles or balloon arches posted in our group, but what I got was so much more fun (in my opinion!). I picked up items from two different ladies that, when combined, provided us with laughs for weeks.

2. Upcycle items to make decorations

Getting crafty is one of my favourite things and there are so many ways to repurpose and upcycle items into decorations.

Here are a couple of projects that you can try:
Decorative Homemade Bunting
Rainbow Pinata

Reduce Waste at Your Birthday Party

3. Make your food or make it a potluck

Skip the take out and all the waste and packaging that comes with it and make your own food. Or better yet, make your party a pot luck and experience dishes from everyone’s households!

4. Send home leftovers in upcycled containers

Pack up leftovers in containers you’ve given a second life (like upcycled take out containers) or items that can be reused again (like glass jars).

5. Skip the disposable dishes

As tempting as it can be to use disposable plates and utensils, try to use as much reusable dishware as possible. If disposables are the best option for your situation, make sure to purchase a type (like a basic soft paper plate) that can go into the green waste bin and keep it out of the landfill.

6. Set up a recycle station

Make recycling an easy option by setting up a recycle bin beside the waste bin. If recycling is an option out in the open, that makes it an easier choice for your guests to make.

Reduce Waste with Your Birthday Gifts

7. Ask for experiences instead of physical gifts

Experiences are a great way to skip any waste associated with physical gifts and help to reduce clutter. For some great ideas, check out our Sustainable Gift Guide.

8. Suggest people make donations to charity instead of bringing flowers or hostess gifts

If your guests are prone to bringing hostess gifts or flowers, consider prompting them to make a donation to a nature or environmental charity instead.

9. Encourage people to use sustainable gift wrap

Gifts inevitably come with gift wrapping, so encourage unique and creative, low-waste ways for wrapping gifts. Check out our post on Plastic Free Gift Wrap for some ideas.

10. Be okay with second-hand gifts

Be okay with second hand. Second hand items don’t mean they are lesser in any way–in fact, they can be more fun!

Time to Celebrate!

It can be so easy and simple to reduce waste on your birthday. I hope these ideas inspire you to have a more sustainable birthday celebration.

How do you reduce waste on your birthday?

Let’s keep in touch! Sign up to receive email updates from A Sustainably Simple Life below:

We’d love to add you to our monthly email list! Send us an email with “Subscribe” in the subject line to asustainablysimplelife [at] gmail.com or fill out the form here: Subscribe to A Sustainably Simple Life

You can unsubscribe at any time.