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Birthday party
Bake an eco-friendly cake
Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix
Choose this gluten-free cake for a healthy alternative, especially if you need a wheatless diet. It’s made with organic rice flour, cane juice, and more delicious, healthy ingredients. Also comes in chocolate.Arrowhead Mills organic flours
Arrowhead Mills offers a range of organic flours perfect for any eco-baking task. Choose from spelt flour, pastry flour, soy flour, buckwheat flour, and more.Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Chocolate Cake Mix
Made with organic whole wheat pastry flour, cane sweetener, and cocoa power, this eco-friendly cake mix is also hearty and healthy. Buy an individual package or a whole case to stock up for later.Camino Fair Trade and organic baking supplies
Choose from cane sugar, cocoa powder, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and other baking supplies. These Certified Organic, Certified Fair Trade, Certified Kosher products are available at many natural food stores across the country.Dr. Oetker Organics Cake Mixes
Make one of these out-of-the-box cakes in less than one hour. Ingredients include organic cane sugar, enriched wheat flour, and cocoa or vanilla. They’re dairy-free and can be made vegan by substituting Ener-G Egg Replacer for eggs.Endangered Species Chocolate Baking Chocolate
Like all of Endangered Species chocolate, baking ingredients are organic and fair trade. Choose from Gourmet Baking Rounds or Cocao Nibs for your next baking adventure.Ener-G Egg Replacer
Substitute this powder egg replacement in all sorts of recipes. Made with potato starch, tapioca starch flour, and non-dairy leavening, it’s gluten-, wheat-, casein, dairy-, egg-, yeast-, soy-, nut-, and rice-free!Frontier Natural Products Co-op Organic, Fair Trade Vanilla
Certified Organic and Certified Fair Trade, this 4-ounce bottle is perfect for any sweet recipe. It’s sourced from India where it’s grown on small farms using biodynamic and organic agricultural methods.Goodbaker Chocolate Frosting and Fudge Mix
This instant, low-fat, vegan frosting mix can be made ganache- or buttercream-style. Alternatively, pour it into a pan and you’ve got instant fudge! It’s made with organic sweetener, too.Green & Black's Fair Trade Organic cocoa powder
Made with 100 percent organic, fair trade cocoa, this powder can be used for all kinds of eco-friendly baking recipes. It’s made in Italy and can be purchased as a single tin or a three-can pack.Pamela’s Confetti Frosting Mix
Mix up a batch of this frosting to give a festive, colorful finish to your creation. Made with organic powdered sugar, cane juice, corn malt syrup, and natural colors, this mix is also gluten-free.Sweetie Cakes White Frosting Mix
The ingredient list reads organic fair trade vegan evaporated cane juice, organic tapioca starch, and organic vanilla. Made gluten-free, it’s suitable for those with wheat allergies and contains no nuts, MSG, soy, food colorings, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives.
Choose eco-friendly candles
Archipelago Botanicals Sugar Soy Candles
These sugary and sensual candles from Archipelago Botanicals contain more than 50 percent natural soy wax and use lead-free wicks. They have a 60-hour burn time and are available in White Sugar & Mango and Brown Sugar & Vanilla.Aveda Shampure Soy Wax Candle
Aveda's Shampure Soy Wax Candle contains 25 pure plant and flower essences (many of them certified organic) packed into a 95 percent recycled glass container. The candle offers 50 hours of clean burn time.Beanpod Candles
Beanpod produces 100 percent soy wax candles in various shapes—votives, jars, tealights, etc.—and scents—everything from Red Current to Green Tea to White Poinsettia.Big Dipper Wax Works Beeswax Birthday Candles
This 12-pack contains tiny, hand-crafted tapers made of 100 percent natural beeswax. Perfect for birthday cakes, these petite burners are available in natural or multi-color packs with three each of Red, Pumpkin, Moss, and Eggplant.Candle Solutions Soy Birthday Candle
This novelty numbered soy candle will help you mark the passage of time. It tracks your child’s birthday milestones (up to 21 years), burning clean every time. Available in blue, pink, yellow, and white.EcoLight Candles
Super-fragrant EcoLight Candles are crafted from 100 percent natural soy wax and feature unbleached cotton wicks and recyclable containers. Choose from a wide array of scents both soothing and stimulating like Gardenia, Mandarian Lime, and Vanilla Velvet.Keona Candles GreenLites Pillar Candle
Made with natural palm wax, this pillar comes in a variety of colors and scents, including Autumn Orange, Evergreen, and Mulberry. It measures 3 inches wide, providing a warm green glow for any occasion.Nature's Finest Candles Palm Creations
Looking for paraffin-free candles in a wide variety of heady scents? Turn to Palm Creations by Nature's Finest Candles where long-burning, environmentally responsible candles made from palm oil are in ready supply.Nohm Candles
Nohm Candles are lovingly handmade from GMO- and pesticide-free soy and use lead-free wicks. Available in five intriguing scents, the candles come in tins without extraneous packaging.Pacifica soy candles
Give your home an exotic eco-edge with Pacifica's line of handmade soy candles. All—there are many scents to pick and choose from ranging from Tuscan Blood Orange to Indian Chai—are made a clean burning soy wax blend and essential oils and essences.Paddywax Eco Collection
Paddywax produces a line of soy wax candles packaged in biodegradable paper pulp boxes complete with hemp twine and recycled, FSC-certified wrapping paper. Choose from a variety of scents including Cucumber & Mint, Fresh Grass, and many more.Pharmacopia Organic Soy Candles
Natural body care line Pharmacopia offers candles made from 100 percent organic soy wax and essential oils that are up to standard for use in aromatherapy. Packaged in reusable glass containers, the candles are available in Citrus, Rosemary, Lavender, or Ginger.Soulshine Beeswax Candles
Soulshine makes a wide array of all-natural hand dipped and poured beeswax candles free of synthetic colors and fragrances. Pick and choose from long-lasting pillars, votives, tapers, tealights, and a range of novelty candles.Way Out Wax Vermont Soy Candles
These agents of aromatherapy are made with 100 percent soy wax and essential oils and use hemp or unbleached cotton wicks. Choose from seven different scents including Forest, Indian Summer, and Lavender Sky. Available in two sizes, the candles are encased in tins convenient for both home and travel.
Choose environmentally friendly gifts
3r Living Gift Registry
3r Living, based on the three R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, sells "future friendly products" both online and at their Brooklyn, New York, location that adhere to these principles. Choose from a wide array of green goods ranging from cleaning products to stationery to pet gear.Alternative Gifts International
Guests can make a donation in the recipient’s name rather than buying something new. Gift givers can choose from a wide array of charities and then send an e-greeting to let the receiver know of their donation.Bluehouse Gift Registry
Bluehouse's registry can be used to locate a variety of stylish, sustainable gifts: home accents, bed and bath, cooking, pets, gardening, and much more.Branch Gift Registry
All the stylish green goodies—from toys to furniture to kitchen supplies—sold by San Francisco-based Branch have been screened for their environmental and social impacts at every step along their production line.Design Public Registry+Wishlists
Have an eye for style and sustainability? Register at Design Public, an online purveyor of cutting-edge home goods and gifts with a healthy selection of green products. Need inspiration? Check out DP's blog.ECHOage
ECHOage your party with this unique birthday party tool. Choose one of the e-vites, which will invite your guests to the event, while encouraging them to make one secure online financial contribution. The money goes to one unique gift for the birthday person and a charity of your choice.EcoExpress Gift Registry
All of the products offered through EcoExpress are environmentally sound. Shop by occasion, price, or category for everything from tote bags to organic vino. All shipping materials used by California-based EcoExpress are eco-friendly.Green Nest Gift Registry
Newlyweds looking to green their first nest with organic linens, HEPA vacuum cleaners, and air purifiers have come to the right place—Green Nest offers an abundance of practical items essential in creating a healthy home. Green Nest also offerstips on how to maintain a healthy, environmentally sound home.Greenfeet Gift Registry
Greenfeet, "The Planet's Homestore," offers an array of environmentally friendly products to reduce its customers' footprints on the environment.Heifer International Giving Registry
Heifer International, a charity with the aim to tame global poverty and care for the earth, has helped over 8 million people in 125 countries since 1944. Heifer's giving registry is similar to a traditional registry, with the recipient selecting gifts that help in-need families across the world.I Do Foundation Gift Registry
Use the I Do Foundation to register with partner stores. The organization donates up to 8 percent of purchases to a charity of your choice.New American Dream Alternative Gift Registry
Use this unique registry tool to ask for secondhand or homemade items, link to other green gift sites, or request that individuals make donations to a favorite charity.PlayPumps International
Give the gift of clean water with this fun, child-friendly donation idea. PlayPump Systems are installed where children play, doubling as water pumps and merry-go-rounds for children. They pump while they play!Ten Thousand Villages Gift Registry
Choose from hand-crafted dishes and linens, ornaments, and home accents, as well as Fair Trade Certified food items like chocolate and coffee at Ten Thousand Villages.VivaTerra Gift Giving
Set up your registry, including event type and year, and then begin adding gift ideas. VivaTerra carries a wide selection of fetching, eco-sensible items for home and garden, bed and bath, and kitchen. Keep in-tune with the latest goods on the green market by subscribing to VivaTerra's newsletter.World Wildlife Fund Wedding Registry
With World Wildlife Fund Weddings and Celebrations, engaged couples can enhance their wedding by contributing to conservation and sharing information on how to plan a wedding that's both joyous and environmentally friendly.
Choose eco-friendly decorations and party favors
Beaucoup
Originally intended for weddings, there’s no reason why many of Beacoup's sustainable party staples couldn’t be used for anniversaries or birthdays. Offerings include water-soluble, biodegradable confetti, printable seed cards, bamboo place card holders, and much more.EarthMother biodegradable latex balloons
Forgoe conventional balloons for these eco-friendly options. Made from the milky saf of the rubber tree (natural latex), they're 100 percent biodegradable in both sunlight and water. They break down in about the same time as oak tree leaves. (Available from the UK.)Endangered Species Chocolate Green Party Favors
These party or wedding favors come in milk or dark chocolate and contain fairly traded and organic varieties. The boxes, which can be recycled or reused, contain 144 individually wrapped treats.Etsy
With thousands of crafters selling their wares on Etsy, you’re bound to find something that’ll suit your party purposes. Use the “Shop Local” feature to find artisans in your area, and then search for eco-friendly table linens, party favors, decorations, and more.Green Party Goods
With everything you need to plan a sustainable soirée, Green Party Goods is a one-stop-shop! It's got biodegradable crepe streamers, recycled paper garlands, reusable gift bags, lead-free wooden toys, and much more.GreenPartyGoods Recycled PaperGarlands
Deck out your Halloween haunted house or your ride-along bicycle with garland made from recycled paper material. Choose from magenta, orange, yellow, and teal. GreenPartyGoods also has colorfast, biodegradable crepe garland and party hats!GreenSage Store Eco-friendly Tabletop Linens
GreenSage Store sells a selection of hemp and organic cotton tablecloths in simple colors that could suit a variety of occasions. They’re also grown and sewn in the US, making them local and sustainable.Magic Cabin
Specializing in natural fiber, simply designed, creativity inspiring toys, Magic Cabin carries a wide array of whimsical items that are sure to please pint-sized party-goers. From bird-feeders to hand-cranked lanterns, itty-bitty binoculars to child-sized gardening tools, there’s something for every occasion.Rawganique Organic Linen and Hemp Table Fashions
Using Certified Organic hemp or linen, these Euro-made table fashions come in 12 sizes and five colors. Rawganique offers cloths to fit rectangular, round, and square tables. Can be purchased with coordinating napkins.Wrapables.com Bamboo Table Linen Collection
Throw an Asian-inspired party with this bamboo collection. The woven place mats and fabric napkins coordinate in a variety of colors.
Hire a green limo or car service
Clean Air Limo (Austin, TX)
Austin-based Clean Air Limo—serving Central Texas and the Hill Country—offers "style, service, and sustainability" to green Texans. The company's fleet is composed entirely of hybrids, including makes by Mercedes and Lexus. Available for airport transfers, sightseeing, special events, and more.DrivenEco (New York City)
Need chauffeured hybrid wheels? Look no further than DrivenEco. Serving New York City and its environs for events both business and personal.ECOLIMO (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC)
Their fleet includes hybrids, biodiesel- fueled vehicles, and compressed natural gas (CNG) powered options.EcoShuttle (Portland, OR)
All aboard! Hire one of EcoShuttle's nine-person, 100 percent biodiesel-fueled vans for a simple airport ride or for a slew of special group events.Elite Green Car (Atlanta, GA)
Hail (well, hire) one of Elite Green Car's Lexus RX 400 Hybrids to cruise around the ATL in sustainable style.Evo Limo (Los Angeles, CA)
Their fleet of uber-lux suburbans and sedans have been converted to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) yet still come with mini-bars, tinted windows, and entertainment systems.Green Car Limo (San Francisco Bay Area)
Swapping traditional stretch limos with a Toyota Prius fleet, Michael Fadis' Green Car Limo service has been serving the Bay Area since 2005.Green Limousine (Vail, CO)
Want your next trip to the Colorado Rockies to be a bit greener (and sans the hassle of navigating snowy conditions yourself)? Book a ride with Green Limousine, a car service with a fleet of biodiesel-fueled sedans and SUVs.Green Shuttle of Cape Cod (MA)
Visit one of the Northeast's most popular summer playgrounds, Cape Cod, while curbing your carbon tiremark. Get picked up in a Prius, Altima, or Mercury Mariner at various points in New England such as Boston Logan Airport and Providence's Green Airport.Green SUV (Hollywood, CA)
If you're not ready to give up the SUV habit when it comes time to hire a car, consider Green SUV, which offers a fleet of hybrid SUVs, including the Tahoe, Yukon, and Escalade. Transportation provided for airport service, business meetings and corporate travel, as well as special events, in the LA area.Greenfleet Car Service (New Jersey)
Garden State-based Greenfleet Car Service specializes in corporate travel to and from airports, personal travel, group outings, and conventions.greentomatocars (London, UK)
With a fleet of private hire hybrids, greentomatocars is the greenest ride in London (they'll also transport you to other points in the UK). And they offset emission with tree-planting and various eco-friendly projects.New York Hybrid Car & Limousine Services
Offering airport pickup and drop-off, special occasion, sightseeing, and out of town services with "all hybrids all the time," New York Hybrid is a great alternative for your transportation needs.OZOcar (New York City)
Driving around the Big Apple can be a big pain in the you know what. Why not hire OZOcar, NYC's first hybrid luxury car service, to do the driving for you?PlanetTran (New England, San Francisco Bay Area)
Are you a green-minded traveler flying into San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Boston, Providence, or Manchester, New Hampshire? Give PlanetTran a buzz and they'll pick up you and your bags in a Toyota Prius and deposit you at your destination the sustainable way.
Send e-cards
E-Cards
Each time you send a card from truly eco-friendly E-Cards, a donation is made to the World Wildlife Fund. The cards can be used to mark both run-of-the-mill events, such as birthdays and anniversaries, to more obscure holidays like Autumnal Equinox.Egreetings
Find an Egreeting for any occasion—from a quick "how you doin'?" to one of the three G's (graduation, get well, and good luck)—at this comprehensive site. Add an extra element of pizazz to the recipient's inbox with cards featuring flash and animation.Hipster Cards
Hipster Cards’ cyber sentiments feature a range of attention-grabbing graphics—from retro to playful—replete with sassy (and sweet) sayings appropriate for occasions ranging from Passover to pregnancies.MyPunchbowl
Pick an event date, then send out "save the date" e-cards, followed by formal invitations with this helpful party planning tool.someecards.com
Congratulate your uncle on his engagement or friend on the birth of her baby with someecards.com, where clichéd sentiments are replaced by quirky e-cards for various occasions.
Comments
4:10pm
Don't throw out the wrapping paper or ribbon! If you don't think you'll re-use it, ask guests if they would like it -- chances are high that someone will be thrilled to have your castoffs.
10:21am
I have created a Green Birthday Party Planner to help busy parents have a low stress party that's simple and eco friendly.
http://www.hoisingtonbooks.com/Green_Birthday_Party.html
12:05pm
Yisskah, these are great ideas. Really comprehensive Thanks for sharing!