1 . Kids’ birthday parties are wonderfully fun for all, but in the way that they are traditionally celebrated, they are the enemy of “zero waste living”. A kid’s birthday party can produce lots of waste, from the plates, cups, and uneaten food, to the gift wrap, present boxes, and disposable (一次性的) decorations.

It doesn’t have to be like that, though, as it is possible to hold a birthday party without waste. Here are some ideas on how to cut down on unnecessary waste and have a fun celebration.

Forget the themed paper invitations; they get thrown away almost immediately anyway.     1     The mobile phone is a common communication tool which enables your guests to receive the invitation at any time.

    2     Stay away from them altogether, including balloons. If you must decorate, choose some reusable, classic decorations that can be pulled out every single year, such as colored lights. Make your own painted and personalized banner, paper hats, and so on. Keep them for the next year.

Don’t overdo the food preparation.     3     So you should put out only what is necessary, rather than ending up with loads of leftovers that are potentially ruined by the kids. Keep the rest for other meals. If other parents bring food, ask them to bring it in reusable containers.

The gift giving part of a birthday party can produce a lot of unappealing trash, which is why you should choose an alternative. My kids have gone to several “toonie parties (a toonie is a two-dollar coin in Canada), where each guest gives two dollars in their card and that money can be used by the birthday child to buy a single toy.     4    

In my years of parenting, I’ve realized that kids mostly just want to play together.     5     In other words, you don’t need to worry about it not feeling like a birthday. Furthermore, it will be a new and improved version that doesn’t include massive bags of trash at the end of the day.

2 . Earth Day is an annual environmental event during which people celebrate the   earth's natural environment and promote environmentally healthy practices.     1     They may include continuous living fairs, outstanding speakers, music, dancing, food, and parades, among other things.

There is some disagreement as to when, exactly, Earth Day is.     2     Others celebrate it on the spring equinox (春分), which means that Earth Day falls on different days in the Northern and Southern part.

Early Earth Day celebrations were used to highlight growing environmental problems and to suggest ways of solving these problems.     3     They may include industrial pollution, along with over-harvesting of natural resources and practices which harm the earth. As humans have recognized more and more environmental problems, ranging from global warming to a growing number of threatened or extinct species, the range of the issues which come up on Earth Day has expanded.

    4     They were designed to draw attention to planet issues. Modern Earth Day celebrations often focus on the positive, celebrating progress which has been made in the quest to protect the earth, and offering education about living in a continuous way. Earth Day festivals often feature sources of alternative energy, organic farmers, and locally produced products, to get people to connect with the earth and their communities.

As Earth Day has become more well-known, more and more nations, companies and people have begun actively participating in the event. It is not uncommon to see companies releasing information about major environmentally friendly breakthroughs on Earth Day, for example, and for nations to pick Earth Day as a target date for emissions reductions and other environmentally friendly measures.     5    

3 . How to plan a party for Mother’s Day

Planning a party for Mother’s Day can be exciting and fun, but if everything is put off to the last minute, it can be stressful. Therefore, we have come up a way to help you plan for it, without adding any more stress to your everyday life!

Four to six weeks before the BIG DAY!

Choose a theme first. Next, make a guest list and pick a date and time.

    1     Decide if you will have it at home, go to a park, or pay for a hall. Think about the day’s activities; what time to eat, what games to play, what crafts to do, etc. Finally you should order your party supplies, including favors, decorations, wrapping paper, plates, cups, etc.

Three weeks before the BIG DAY!

    2    

ASK for RSVP’s(不能参加请回复) by a certain date and time. Place a list of those you invited next to the phone to record RSVP’s.

    3    

If you haven’t received any RSVP’s, call to make sure they are coming. Make it clear that your helpers can still attend and what their duties will be. Order the cake.

One week before the BIG DAY!

Call all confirmed(确认的) guests and remind them of the big day, double checking directions. Buy food and candies. Make up the goodie bags based on confirmations.

One day before the BIG DAY!

Prepare your foods ahead of time.     4     In the evening, when everyone is in bed, clean the house and set up the party spot.

Day of the BIG DAY!

Pick up the cake. Blow up and set out balloons four hours before the event.

    5    

Week after the BIG DAY!

Send out thank you notes to all the helpers and those who gave gifts!