Ringing in a green new year

Throwing a party to ring in the new year on Monday night? No need to toss your green morals out the window. Use it as an opportunity to share good health and positive actions with your friends and guests.

• Skip the paper invitations and save a tree or two. Send creative e-vites instead. Upload funny pictures or choose a pretty designs that even the pickiest guest will love.
• Decorate with plants - they’ll help clean the air and pump more oxygen to keep partygoers fresh on the dance floor.
• Encourage friends to carpool or take public transit and cut down the amount of emissions generated by your event.
• If you absolutely must use disposable stemware, choose cups made from recycled or sustainable materials (corn resin or sugar-can stalk). Look for items labeled as biodegradable or compostable - Toronto’s Core Sales Inc. sells biodegradable and compostable clear plastic cups. And to keep the number of cups guests use to a minimum, use a Sharpie to personalize each with a mark or monogram.
• Treat your friends to organic wine, beer and alcohol. Check out our Organic Buzz post for more info on avoiding pesticide cocktails this New Year’s.
• Need a green party planner? Contact Toronto’s Talenevents (416.880.6761).
• There are a few “green” caterers in the city, created for people who wish to eat healthily and responsibly by choosing organic food for themselves and their guests. Vert Catering offers organic and natural menus with local, fresh and seasonal ingredients. They support the community by donating one catering to charity monthly, compost and recycle all excess food, employ environmentally-friendly Autoshare vehicles for transportation, and use biodegradable tableware if needed. Green Cuisine vegetarian catering specializes in fresh, energizing dishes prepared with organic and seasonal ingredients. Besides supporting local and sustainable agriculture, Green Cuisine focuses on the planet by using everything from biodegradable food packaging to recycled office paper. Garden of Eade is a recently-launched organic catering and private chef service with a client list that includes actor and environmental activist Edward Norton, Liv Tyler and the Toronto Raptors.
• Last (but not least!) serve “green” desserts. Toronto’s Bake it Healthy makes healthy and tasty cakes, cookies, cupcakes, muffins, tarts and more from organic and natural ingredients without trans or hydrogenated fats, additives or preservatives. Sample a few cinnamon rolls made without refined sugar, double-chocolate brownies made from oat and barley flowers (and a dollop of sweet potatoes for fibre and vitamin A) or elegant dairy-free truffles sweetened with maple syrup and agave nectar. Vegan bakery Sweets from the Earth’s delicious and decadent range of cakes, cookies, bars and confections are preservative- and GMO-free and made with minimally-processed ingredients. Satisfy your guests’ cravings without compromising their health.