Earth Tip-Lovers !

Party til you drop is last century – why drop? You miss the party that way.
Color is key for this century – why not Party til you turn Green?

Throw an Earth-friendly, Party, and turn your partying friends green, too!
Here are ten tips on how to go about it:

1. Evites are a must. Skip the pretty paper cards and save a tree or three. You can wow your friends with creative invitation without going paper. Send and reply online and save the stamps as well!

2. Use the stuff you've got. Dishes, glasses, and place settings made of real washable stuff – no paper here either! A little extra cleanup at the end of the night, but isn't reversing global warming worth an extra few minutes (besides, you can use the time to bond with your significant other – or friend, if he/she won't help).

3. Personalize cups. If you insist on using disposable glassware, buy the kind made from recycled or sustainable materials (look for stuff manufactured from corn resin or sugar-cane stalk, or items labeled "biodegradable" or "100% recycled content"). And prevent the cup-mistaken-identity syndrome (you know, when someone takes a cup and places it next to an identical one, and then both people have to get new cups) by taking a Sharpie and marking each cup with a personalized monogram.

4. Light it up. Cut down on electricity and create a romantic (and, let's face it, flattering) glow by placing lit candles everywhere. Use soy or beeswax candles, which, unlike petroleum-based paraffin candles, won't emit toxic, sooty fumes.

5. Go thrifty.
Check out flea markets and thrift shops. Wash ’em up and make them look (almost) new. Be proud that you're creating less landfill; if you didn't buy it, it might have been thrown out.

6. Go local. Do a local organic farm or market to grab your greens. Or a local organic vendor line at the supermarket. You'll not only get pesticide- and hormone-free products, but buying local items means they've had to travel only a short distance (versus thousands of miles). Less gas sucked from the tank getting there, too.

7. Fill 'er up. Treat your friends to organic wines and spirits (in moderation, of course) – cuts down the gunk of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Support farmers who make the extra effort to not pollute the soil, which helps our Big Momma Earth.

8. Give away your decor. Decorate your pad with small organic plants -- they'll help clear the air of carbon dioxide, and pump in more oxygen. Then give them away as favors. Encourage guests to plant them, and you'll be spreading that earth-lovin' love!

9. Recycle! This might be the "duh" tip of the day, but if you don't do it already, you must (what’s a Green Party without it?). Check absolutely everything you're about to throw away to see if you can use it again (even if it's to send home extra food with a guest). And if you can't use it, make sure glass, paper, and plastic products get thrown out in the recycle bin.

10. Clean up green. Organic stuff equals good for the planet. And that means cleanup tools, too! Use spray cleaner and dishwashing liquid that won't add bad chemicals to the water supply, air, and soil. We like Method (methodhome.com) because its products smell yummy. And if you must use paper towels (reusable cloths are ideal), get recycled products from Seventh Generation (seventhgeneration.com) or Planet (planetinc.com), or other green-earth types. And for whatever waste you have (hopefully, it's not much), use biodegradable trash bags, like the ones from BioBag (biogroupusa.com).

For more info, check out our friends on the green side of the web universe at: http://lifestyle.msn.com/green/greenarticletkt.aspx?cp-documentid=4575092

Have a happy, easy-on-the-conscious party! And, remember to invite us!