Sustainable Hosting Tips for the Holidays!

The holiday season is a time for joy, togetherness, and celebration—but it can also lead to increased waste and energy use. By making thoughtful, sustainable choices, we can enjoy the festivities while reducing our environmental impact. The City encourages residents to celebrate consciously with these sustainable hosting tips:

Provide Recycling and Composting Options

Set up clearly labeled bins for recycling, organic waste, and trash to make it easy for guests to dispose of items responsibly. Remind everyone of the items that belong in each cart:

• Blue Recycling Cart: Wrapping paper (no metallics), cardboard and paper gift boxes, glass bottles, hard plastic bottles, cartons, pie tins, and paper-only greeting cards.
• Green Organics Cart: Pumpkins, turkey bones, food scraps, soiled-paper products (napkins, paper towels, paper plates, etc.), and poinsettias.
• Grey Trash Cart: Foil wrapping, bows, ribbons, broken ornaments, and Styrofoam peanuts.

By organizing your waste stations and educating your guests on proper disposal, you can reduce landfill contributions and make your holiday celebration more sustainable.

Choose Reusable Tableware

Instead of using disposable tableware, opt for reusable plates, cups and cutlery. Cloth napkins and tablecloths are also great solutions, If you need additional items, consider renting or borrowing them from friends, family or neighbors. Set up a collection bucket where guests can put their used dishes to be washed later.

Decorate Sustainably

Choose decorations made from sustainable materials such as recycled paper, natural fabrics, or organic materials. Avoid using single-use plastic decorations and opt for reusable items instead. You can even incorporate natural elements such as pinecones, branches, or dried flowers into your decorations. When you are finished with the decorations, simply recycle the paper into your blue cart, or recycle the organic material into your green organics cart.

Plan Meals Carefully to Reduce Food Waste

Carefully plan your holiday meals to avoid overbuying and preparing excessive amounts of food. Take into account the number of guests and their preferences to estimate the right quantities. Once you have planned your menu, create a detailed shopping list to avoid purchasing ingredients that you may not need. Please consider buying local, seasonal, and organic ingredients whenever possible. When the meal is over, encourage your guests to take home leftovers!

Sustainable Gift Giving

Encourage your guests to engage in sustainable gift giving this holiday season. Ask for or give gifts that are eco-friendly, ethically sourced, or have a low environmental impact. You can also suggest experiences or homemade/handcrafted gifts instead of material items. Don’t forget to try and use brown craft paper or newspaper to wrap your gifts!

Eco-Friendly Invitations

Opt for digital invitations or use social media to share your event details. This helps reduce paper waste and makes RSVPs more convenient.

Encourage Green Transportation

Suggest carpooling, biking, or public transportation for guests traveling to your gathering.

By incorporating these simple practices, you can host a memorable holiday event that reflects your commitment to sustainability and care for the environment. Together, we can celebrate the season while making choices that benefit our planet!

Happy holidays from the City of Solana Beach!