My second child (daughter, Rose, 11 years old) is coming to the end of her time in Junior school. Once the ‘dreaded’ SATS are out of the way, the children will be free to concentrate on the more important events in Year 6, like the much anticipated Leavers’ Disco!
 
Having stepped up to help organise the same event when my son was in year 6, I thought I ought to do the same for my daughter (yep, always motivated by guilt :-)). The nice thing about having some clout in organising an event, is that I can influence the ‘eco-friendliness’ of the proceedings, and do my best to limit the amount of throwaway tatt involved.

Thus, in this spirit, I thought it might be interesting to look at how school events can be made more eco-friendly. We all know that schools are strapped for cash, so these events are often important money raisers. The challenge is in finding ways to run the events - parties, quizes, awards ceremonies - without producing mountains of waste.

1. It’s time to burst your balloon once and for all...

Balloons are one of those lose-lose plastic items that can’t be recycled and never biodegrade, ending up instead in landfill, on beaches or in the stomachs of unwitting birds and mammals. They gradually break down into small pieces of plastic ‘microplastics’ which end up being ingested by animals throughout the food chain (ourselves included). They are so synonymous with celebration in the West, that it probably seems like a big leap to think of not using them (although let's get real, we really don’t need them to have a good time at a party!).

"WE HAD A TURTLE COME IN RECENTLY THAT HAD FOUR DIFFERENT COLOURS OF BALLOONS IN ITS STOMACH. IT HAD A WHOLE PARTY GOING ON IN THERE."

- LIBBY HALL, MANAGER OF TARONGA ZOO'S WILDLIFE HOSPITAL

Unfortunately, and I confess to having been caught out by this one, balloons claiming to be biodegradable are nearly as bad, as they take many, many years to degrade. I have some on my compost heap and they haven’t budged in years. What about foil balloons I hear you cry? No, not biodegradable either I’m afraid and they contain metal, which makes matters worse.

So kiss goodbye to balloons, and look on the bright side. You won’t have to panic when they burst as you try to rescue the small chokable pieces from the hands of small children and the mouths of animals. Oh and lots of people REALLY don’t like the sound of a balloon bursting so you’ll be saving their frazzled nerves.

2. What are the best eco-friendly alternatives to balloons?

There following tissue paper decorations make wonderful alternatives to balloons:

• Pom poms
• Fans
• Honeycomb Balls
• Hanging Lanterns
• Garlands

You can choose from different sizes and they are really impactful when used to decorate a room. For a previous Hollywood themed disco I bought some large paper pom poms in white, silver and black, which we strung from the ceiling to great effect. There are plenty of options online; try Party Delights who have a comprehensive selection. Hobby Craft sell plain brown bunting which you can decorate yourself.

3. Re-use what was used for previous events and ask for second hand donations.

It seems silly to buy more and more decorations every time there is an event, only for it all to be tucked away, thrown away and/or generally forgotten about. A group of parents made some wonderful decorations for last years disco which we have happily commandeered for this year’s event.

Make sure you check what is in storage at the school. We found a pandora's box full of things, like a red carpet which we could then use for the event.

Put out a request to parents asking for decorations, paper crockery etc that they may be keen to donate or put to good use.

Which leads me to my next point…

4. Make your own (or get the kids to do it).

Draw on your pool of keen parent volunteers to see who has the wherewithal to make some decorations. Even better, suggest that the pupils get involved (post SATS). When I think of all of the amazing creations on display during Arts’ week, I know that the children and parents can come up with something super duper.

We combined the creative power of parents and children to make some Hawaiian themed decorations including a large palm tree. This included using repurposed astro grass and large cardboard tubes.

Look for creative ideas on Pinterest and Instagram.

5. Use, and re-use, fabric bunting.

We did this to great effect at the summer fair, and there is no reason the same bunting can't be used for other events; whether disco, fair or tea party. Buy once and it can become a school heirloom, or borrow from parents who have some pretty bunting at home. You could get a group of seamstress parents together, and ask for fabric donations so that they can make a string of bunting.

An eclectic mix will give your event a vintage look!

6. Anything ‘glow’ must go!

It's safe to say most parents dread the glow stand at school events. Children are drawn to glow stuff like moths to a flame, and parents are faced with taking a stand and being ‘mean’ (I quote my daughter) as their friends bop-on by with every limb a-glow!

Following fireworks night last year (when did fireworks become NOT ENOUGH?) I helped pick up the litter the next day. We found hundreds of tiny plastic tabs from the glow sticks that had been sold (the bit you pull out to get it working). The flipping things are almost impossible to pick up, and meant I had to get down and dirty on my knees and use my hands, instead of being able to saunter around brandishing my smart litter picker. Bad for the environment and your back!

These aren’t tiny little glowsticks I’m talking about, but great big plastic things filled with liquid, and loads of them were already in the bin. No part of a glow item can be recycled, because of the chemicals that are inside. Every year, more than 100 million liquid sticks end up in landfill, where they take eons to decompose. The liquid inside gradually leaches out into the earth - you see, they really are an all-round charmer.

It is time to say goodbye to glow items that we absolutely don’t need in our lives or at our parties. If you need some kind of lighting device, invest in a good torch instead. There are some snazzy head torches and LED lights on the market out there.

7. Glow Alternatives

There aren’t any, as nothing can replicate the chemical reaction inside. Enjoy the food, drink, music and company and try to forget that these things ever existed. You won’t find them on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

8. All that glitters ain’t gold (or biodegradable).

You’ve probably noticed that glitter itself is made up of tiny bits of plastic, so it falls into the microplastics category straight away. It doesn’t biodegrade, and floats around in our ecosystem for hundreds of years. I think the name ‘G-litter’ is a reference to the fact that at the point of use it almost immediately becomes litter. I’ve made the mistake of allowing it at one of Rose’s birthday parties before; this was over five years ago and there are still small glitter bits ingrained in our table top - 'fond memories' :-).

9. What are the eco-friendly alternatives to glitter?

There is good news on the glitter front, as there are a number of companies now making biodegradable glitter. Eco Glitter Fun was one of the first that I came across. ‘Bioglitter® replaces the core polyester film used in traditional glitter with a unique and special form of cellulose from hardwoods, primarily eucalyptus sourced from responsibly managed and certified plantations operating to PEFC™ ‘.

Glitter, even the biodegradable stuff, is still a messy substance that will ultimately end up anywhere but in the bin. There are also natural face paints on the market, like this one from Conscious Craft, which may be a better bet for discos and the like.

10. Food & Drink ware - plastic ain’t fantastic.

Feeding and watering large groups of children and adults is always a challenge, and it seems so much more convenient to use disposable cups, plates, cutlery etc so that it can all be dealt with quickly at the end. However, even if this lot finds its way into recycling (and in my experience, this is rare) much of it ends up in landfill or in an incinerator. We can’t use convenience as an excuse any more, as that is what got us into this mess in the first place.

We’ve also got to set a good example to the children, who are being taught about plastic pollution at school. When they see the changes, they can understand their part in making choices that will avoid plastic waste.

What are the eco friendly alternatives to disposable plastic plates and cutlery?

The most truly eco alternative is to use china plates, glasses and metal cutlery. My daughter’s school recently held an adult’s quiz night, and we ate our food off china plates from the kitchen. It was a pivotal moment in the school’s history! Compostable bamboo cups and cutlery were provided too. Always check with your school kitchen/ canteen as to which items they will allow you to use - usually a promise to leave everything exactly as you found it is enough.

For afternoon tea events, consider asking people to bring in their own mugs, or ask for mug donations so that a batch can be held in school for these kind of events. You could even task someone with buying some from a local charity shop. Remember to encourage parents and children to bring reusable water bottles, and make sure they have access to a tap for refills.

If the event is liable to result in breakages, then there are plenty of alternatives on the market, like this bamboo range from Little Cherry. I bought plates and bowls for my daughter’s disco, and they are so hardy that I have stored them away for future events. The whole range is compostable - consider chopping up and placing on your school compost heap!

All events require a great deal of planning and thought - with a bit of creativity it is possible to run an event with far less plastic and throwaway waste. As well as doing your bit for the environment, you are setting a great example to the children and who knows, in the long run it might just make life easier!

The Wise House shop is coming to a close, after 12 years in business. I will now be concentrating on helping schools to create community garden spaces; from raised beds to shared gardens for people, plants and wildlife. If you would like more information on how I can help you create a garden within your school, then please email me [email protected].

The process starts with a questionnaire and site visit consultation. If you are in need of editable marketing posters for an existing garden, then you can purchase a template here.