Green Light: Sustainable Hanukah Party Planning Guide

The following party planning guide highlights 8 different event-planning considerations. Give this guide to a group that is already planning a party, or work with the group to help them make their event more sustainable. Sustainable parties are a great way to help community members make the connection between environmental consciousness and festive, joyous celebrations.

1. Reduce Waste
What should I do?
A. Use reusable plates, napkins, silverware, tablecloths and cups at your Hanukah party.
B. If you can't use reusables, buy products with high recycled content.
C. Have recycling bins clearly labeled, to ease proper recycling of aluminum cans, paper, etc.
D. Buy products with minimal packaging
E. Use electronic means of communication to publicize your event. If you have to use paper, make sure it is at least 50% post consumer recycled paper
F. Donate leftover food to a soup kitchen
How is this making an impact? We produce 245 million tons of waste per year, which is approximately 4.5 pounds of waste per person per day. It can take up to 250 years for a plastic cup to decompose and it can release harmful chemicals in the process. Recycling helps save energy and stop global warming. Recycled aluminum cans use 95% less energy than new cans and recycled paper uses 64% less energy than new paper.
Where do I find it?
i. 7 th Generation has a line of high content recycled paper products. For more information and store locations check out: http://www.seventhgen.com/
ii . Biocorp, Inc., is known world wide for supplying biodegradable and compostable bags, liners and food service ware. Check out: http://www.biocorpna.com/
iii. Green Line Paper has a line of cornstarch-based paper products. For more information and to order, check out: www.greenlinepaper.com/
iv. Local stores like Staples and Office Max sell high content post-consumer recycled paper.

2. Toxins
What Should I do? Use 100% pure beeswax candles with lead free wicks.
How is this making an impact? Most candles are petro-chemical and meatpacking wastes that are toxic when burned. The black soot is as harmful to our health as tobacco smoke! Beeswax is very different.  Made from flowers by honeybees, it is all natural, uniquely non-toxic, non-allergenic, and has a delicate honey-sweet aroma.  Beeswax is a perfect, peaceful and renewable resource.
Where do I find it? http://www.deliciousorganics.com/Products/candlesjewishholiday.htm

3. Fair Trade Chocolate
What should I do? Look for the Fair Trade Certified label and buy Fair Trade products when shopping.
How is this making an impact? In today's world economy, where profits rule and small-scale producers are left out of the bargaining process, farmers, craft producers, and other workers are often left without resources or hope for their future. Fair Trade helps exploited producers escape from this cycle and gives them a way to maintain their traditional lifestyles with dignity.
Where do I find it? Global Exchange: http://store.gxonlinestore.org/goldcoins.html

4. Give a Gift that Keeps on Giving: Energy Efficiency
What should I do?
A. Give compact florescent light bulbs as gifts to friends
B. Collect CFLs at your party and donate them to low-income families.
How is this making an impact? The poorest among us will suffer the most due to global warming and can do the least about it. Donating CFLs to social service agencies enables low-income folks to contribute to the climate change solution and saves them money. On average, consumers save about $50 over the life of each CFL and 110 pounds of CO2 per year.
Where do I find it ?
i. To order bulbs for friends and individuals: www.shopIPL.org
ii. To Arrange for a fundraiser sale visit: http://www.gwipl.org/shopipl.asp#group

5. Go Local
What should I do? Purchase local seasonal produce for your Hanukah celebrations and all year round. For Hanukah, you should be able to find local potatoes, apples, onions, and eggs.  Ask your caterer to buy local produce as well.
How is this making an impact? The food we consume contributes to climate change . The average meal travels 1,500 miles from the farm to your plate . The production, packaging and transportation of food all consumes energy and results in carbon emissions which threaten to raise average global surface temperatures.
Where do I find it? Here is a listing of area co-ops and a website to find a farmer's market near you.
i. Takoma Park Silver Spring Food Co-op: http://tpss.coop/
ii. Glut Food Co-op: www.glut.org
iii. Freshfarm Markets: http://www.freshfarmmarket.org/
iv. Local Harvest: www.localharvest.org Listing of local area farmer's markets.

6. Transportation
What should I do?
A. Advertise public transportation options
B. Arrange for carpooling
C. Set up a no idling policy
How is this making an impact? Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year. We waste approximately 3.8 million gallons of gasoline by voluntarily idling our cars. If you are idling longer than 10 seconds, both you and the engine are better off if the engine is turned off and restarted. By not voluntarily idling 5 minutes per day, we can save between $30 and $60,and between 220 lbs to 440 lbs of CO2 per car per year.
Where do I find it?
i. The DC Metro website's trip planner can help you find reliable and easy public transportation directions. For more information: http://www.wmata.com/
ii. Besides the ability to send electronic invitations and cut down on paper, Evite has the ability to arrange for car sharing; for more information visit http://www.evite.com/

7. Clean Energy
What should I do? Buy clean energy offsets to cover all the ways you are using energy during your Hanukah events.
How is this making an impact? No matter how sustainable your event is, you are using energy. In our region over 50% of our energy comes from dirty sources of energy like coal, gas and oil. You can help your event be even more sustainable by purchasing clean energy offsets.
Where do I find it? You can purchase 342 (18X 18) KWH of clean energy either from local wind, national wind, or local land gas. To order simply fill out the form: http://www.gwipl.org/documents/purchase_congregation.pdf (If the cost is a concern, you can charge event participants an extra $1 extra to help finance this portion of the event.)

8. Educate
What should I do? Write down all of the ways you are making this a sustainable event and post them at the event or distribute them to everyone who attends.
How is this making an impact? By letting everyone know that having a sustainable party is doable and modeling a truly festive, fun, sustainable event, you are encouraging others to do the same when they plan similar events.

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