salute all the holiday hosts out there – you’re the tracks that this train runs on. From home decoration to meal planning, a lot goes into hosting for the holidays.

It’s also a reality of the holiday season that waste increases during this period by anywhere from 25% to 43%! Trying to reduce this winter wastefulness is just one more thing that our hardworking hosts have to deal with. To help make dealing with environmental concerns a little easier, we’ve come up with some helpful pointers to help hosting this holiday season be as eco-friendly as possible.
 

Reducing Food Waste
Where there are large gatherings, there’s lots of food. And where there’s lots of food, there’ll be lots of leftovers. Don’t let yourself get blindsided by a mountain of uneaten fare; keep these tips in mind when planning your get-together.

  • Don’t overprepare – No one wants to run out of food at a party, so hosts tend to err on the side of overabundance. To reduce leftover food, try thinking a little more carefully about how many guests you’ll be entertaining and how much they realistically will eat.
     
  • Encourage guests to take home leftovers – Sometimes, there’s just too much food to fit in your fridge. Encourage your guests to take some home – ‘tis the season of giving, after all. Make the process even easier by either encouraging them to bring their own leftover containers or by having some extra on hand that you don’t mind parting with. Did you know that it’s against the law to dispose of food scraps, food waste and other organic materials as trash? That’s because when landfilled, organic materials like this generate methane, an especially harmful greenhouse gas.
     
  • Browse through holiday leftover recipes – Even after careful planning and some gracious giving to your guests, you’ll surely still have food left over. But, that should be no cause for concern. With the ever-increasing number of ingenious ways to repurpose leftovers, “Leftovers are lame” is a tired way to think.

Opting For Reusable Cutlery

Obviously, the best cutlery and kitchenware to use are durables that can be reused over and over like stainless steel utensils, ceramic plates, and glass cups. However, when you simply can’t bust out the good kitchenware and need to opt for single-use, here are some tips.

  • Use compostable flatware–  Single-use plastic foodware often ends up in our landfills! Instead use compostable to-go paper-based or pulped foodware. Wood utensils, corn husks and leaves are all readily available. Aluminum foil is good too!
     
  • Have guests write their name on their cups – When you put a cup down at a gathering, it might as well not be yours anymore. A quick fix to reduce waste is having people sharpie their names on the sides of their cups so they don’t need to grab a new one with every refill. 
     
  • Plastic can be reused – Sometimes plastic is all you have on hand. Or maybe you’ve just got a pile of plastic plates and containers (think “Tupperware”) in reserve somewhere. Don’t forget, plastic dishes and utensils can be cleaned and reused just like any other eating implements – just check to make sure your plastic plate is dishwasher-safe before putting it in.

Decorating Green

Decorations, while not strictly necessary for a fun get-together, do tend to add a festive flair. Whether you’re at home or in a park, here are some tips for making your space party-prepped or reunion-ready.

  • Reuse what you already have – Most of us have a big bin of seasonal decorations stuffed somewhere in a garage, shed, or attic. Don’t let the dust and cobwebs deter you; the best thing you can do for the environment is reuse that revelry!
     
  • Try your hand at crafting your own decorations – From classics like papercraft snowflakes and popcorn garlands to more crafty solutions like baked gingerbread Christmas ornaments, the field of home holiday decoration is chock-full of ideas ranging from simple to challenging. Often able to be made with simple items found in and around your home, homemade decoration construction both saves money and serves as a great activity for friends and family.
     
  • Buy second hand decorations – Don’t have past decorations or the time to make ones from scratch? Try buying decorations secondhand to save yourself the cash and keep holiday knick-knacks from entering our landfills.


As the holiday season approaches, it’s good to let loose and have fun, but let’s be mindful of the environmental impact that often accompanies celebrations. By adopting practices like described above we can significantly reduce waste. What waste-reduction eco-tips do you have to share? Send them to us at lastormwater@lacity.org. Let’s make this holiday season both joyful and eco-conscious. Happy holidays!