We love throwing down as much as the next guy, but aside from the occasionalhangoverthe morning after, whatreallyhurts is seeing the amount of waste generated from a singleawesome night.

Dont get us wrongthe memories of a great party are worth the effort we put into throwing it, but plain and simple, we can do better when it comes to greening our events. Every year, Americans throw away 21.5 million tons of food and dispose of enough paper and plastic serveware tocircle the Equator 300 times.

Throwing a party that’s less wasteful and more earth-friendly is pretty simplethese five tips will get you started.

Skip paper invites, save trees

First, theres a guest list to deal with. Paper invites are the very first thing to cut out when it comes to trimming the environmental impact of an event. In 2012, Americans threw away24.4 million tons of paperthat could beas many as 585 million trees.

Know whats classier than snail mailing paper invites? Calling up each and every guest to invite them personally. Then, send those who are available the details via email. If aesthetics areimportant to you, design a graphic for the email or usePaperless Post. Online invitescan also make it a little easier to connect guests with each other to set up carpoolsfeel free to encourage that.

If physical invitations are still a must, be sure to use post-consumer recycled paper, which helps keep used paper items out of landfills.

Use all-natural decorations

Decorating with plants is a lot prettier than using plastic accessories and other manufactured materials. Shop for flowers from the local farmers market to make sure youre getting the best seasonal options. Bunches of perennialred river liliesare a lovely alternative to poinsettias.Hellebores, also known as the Christmas roses, are beautiful for a white Christmas.Calendulasand tulips also start to bloom in December.

For an even smarter centerpiece, try potted succulents and herbs. Succulentslast long andrequire very little water, and they’re just asshow-stopping as traditional bouquets. Fresh herbs add a nice dimension of scents to the table, and can be used during a meal and post-party for future dinners. Both of these green options also make greatparty favors for guests.

As for lightingan essential aspect of the party moodkeep the switches off and opt for the amber glow of candles instead. Just be sure to choose beeswax candles (or make your own) instead of conventional wax ones, which are made from petroleum-derived paraffin.

Get creative with DIY hanging lanterns by tightly tying wire or string to the rims of small jars (underneath the notch where the cap stops in order to keep the jar from slipping out). Strew the strands wherever you want ambiance, drop a beeswax tea light into each jar, and light them.

Mind the dinnerware

Of course, the greenest way to go if this is a dinner party is to stick with your regular dishes, flatware, and glasses. Hitting up the thrift store to look for mismatched plates can add an eclectic vibe to the table. Invest in some nice cloth napkins to cut paper waste.

Expecting this party to be a big rager? Then reusable dinnerware might not be the practical way to gobut disposables dont have to be a complete waste.Sustainable, compostable plates, cups, and utensilsare a more earth-friendly choice.

Source food locally

Now to the most important element of any party: food!Finger foodscan help minimize flatware use. (Seriously, who doesnt love eating with their hands, anyway?)

Putting together a killer cheese plate? Imported camembert from Normandy is not the most eco-friendly choice. Go withartisan cheese from a local farmandshop locally as much as possible for any food that will be featured at your fete.

Serve seasonal, sustainable drinks

Hold up, we lied. The drinks are pretty crucial to a party, too. Create a seasonal cocktail using in-season fruit (winter options include cherimoya, grapefruit, kiwi, or pomegranate). Not into being a cocktail chemist? Olives are in season in December, too, so shake up an old standby: the dirty martini.

As far as beer and wine, going local should be pretty easy, sinceevery single state in the U.S. produces wineandhas multiple craft beer breweriesthese days. Pretty cool, huh? Whenever possible, select organic and biodynamic winesthoseproduced at vineyards that focus on every aspect of sustainability, from soil to the surrounding flora and fauna. For an added charm, use real fresh fruit slices as bottle stoppers.

In the end, going green doesnt requirea complete overhaul of your party prep. Even followingjust a few of these tips can go a long way towarda greener, healthier world this holiday.

byDana PobleteforThrive Market

More from Thrive Market:
Make Home Smell Like Christmas: 8 Natural DIY Tricks
Hot Cocoa Will Never Be the Same Once You Try These Chocolate Dipped Spoons
Sweet Orange and Aromatic Cardamom Add Wintry Flavor to Madeleines

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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How to Throw an Eco-Friendly Party