New Year’s celebrations are an opportunity to ring in the New Year and go green. Staying home and watching the Times Square Ball descend on TV while eating organic food and drink with reusable plates and glasses is one way to celebrate.
For those who enjoy hosting a New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day party try going green this year.
Transportation
A great way to reduce the party carbon footprint and help guests stay safe is to encourage walking or using public transportation to get to and from the party. Designating a sober driver and carpooling is good too. As an incentive, give guests who use green transportation a chance to win a green door prize or party favor.
Decorations
Go green and save money by skipping silly hats, noisemakers, confetti, and throw away decorations. Partygoers will probably not miss them. If you do buy decorations, purchase items that you can use, put away and use again next year. Want to make your own decorations and need inspiration? Enter “green New Year’s Eve decorations” in your web browser and you are sure to find an idea that meets your budget and artistic ability.
Food and Drink
There are organic choices for almost every possible food or drink item you can think of. Up the green factor and buy local. Another option is to involve the guests by hosting a potluck. Have each guest contribute their favorite green food or drink.
Tableware
Skip paper and plastic tableware and go with reusable plates, utensils, glasses, and napkins. Don’t have enough plates and glasses? Party companies are available to rent what you need and may cost the same or less than throw away items. Biodegradable and compostable plates and cups are a better alternative than standard paper and plastic. Or try a new twist on BYO and have guests bring their own reusable plate, glass, utensils, and napkin.
New Year’s Eve Trivia
- In some Christian traditions, watch night services are held late on New Year’s Eve. The Rt. Rev. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, originated watch night services in 1740.
- Auld Lang Syne is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song.
- In 1903, the owner of The New York Times newspaper marked the opening of the company’s new headquarters at One Times Square with a fireworks show on December 31.
- The Times Square Ball drop began in 1907. The current ball was made by Waterford Crystal and is lit with Philips LEDs.
- In 1972, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve premiered on television.
Whether you are hosting a New Year’s Eve party or a New Year’s Day parade and football game watching get together, make it green.
Related Posts
- 10 Green New Year’s Resolutions for 2015
- 10 Green New Year’s Resolutions for 2013
- A New Take on the Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2014
- Green Investing – New Year’s Resolution
- Labor Day Holiday – Go Green
- New Year’s Resolution for 2017 – Hit the Reset Button
- New Year’s Resolution – Make it SMARTER
- The First Thanksgiving was a Green Event