The summer season is alive and well, so it’s time to host a tea party. Invite friends and family to sip some of the finest beverages and talk about the excitement of the season. If you want to make your tea party extra special, try making it as sustainable as possible. You’ll find that the party’s just as fun, and you and your friends will feel great knowing that you’re enjoying life while helping the planet. We’ve got a lot of ideas to get you started, so let’s jump in.

photo by…. carolyn christine

Find Eco-Friendly Tea And Supplies

The first step to hosting the ultimate sustainable tea party is to gather up all the essential supplies, and you can start with the tea itself. The goal is to find tea varieties that require as little production as possible and produce next to no waste as they’re prepared. You also want to look for teas that are considered sustainable. In this context, it means that the tea was produced organically and without synthetic fertilizers or presides.

You can also look for tea that’s advertised as zero-waste, which means that there is minimal packaging and it was created without polluting the earth. Many zero-waste teas will also come in compostable tea bags. Finally, consider teas that have a fair trade label. That means they were sourced ethically via exporters who seek to use improved environmental standards.

Look online for sustainable, zero-waste, or fair-trade tea varieties, and you’ll have many options from which to choose. Some brands that are known to be sustainable include Art of Tea, BLK&BOLD, and Equal Exchange.

Aim to make all of your party supplies as eco-friendly as possible. Find plates, cups, straws, and utensils that are made out of plastic that you can wash after the party. Then reuse time and time again. If you need to purchase new bowls or plates, try to find them at thrift stores. Items there are just as clean and elegant. However, by pursuing them used instead of new, you prevent factories from needing to create pollution to manufacture new products.

Finally, don’t buy a new tablecloth. Instead, you can get crafty and make a patchwork tablecloth out of old garments. Use some of your clothes or the clothes the kids have outgrown, and then cut out pieces and fit them together into an elegant design.

Host An Outdoor Party

Many people choose to have their tea parties inside, and that’s perfectly fine. However, time inside often requires more electricity as you turn on lights, the air conditioner, and plug-in appliances. The production of that electricity requires the burning of fossil fuels, so if you’re trying to be as sustainable as possible, and it’s not too hot, then consider an outdoor party.

By going outside, you’ll already be doing the environment a favor, but there is more you can do to make the outdoor event as eco-friendly as possible.

One is to use an eco-friendly venue, even if that’s your garden or backyard. Put LED bulbs in the outdoor fixtures to decrease energy usage, and be sure to put out garbage and recycling bins so everything can be disposed of properly. 

It may be hot during your summer tea party, but instead of plugging in a bunch of fans, go green and hand out manual hand fans. Even getting to the venue can be more sustainable if you convince the guests to come in fewer cars instead of driving alone, so there are fewer emissions. 

If you are hosting your party outside or in your garden, be sure to enjoy the experience as well. Put out snacks that pair well with your tea. If you’re having a lunch tea party, as many people do, then pair the tea with sandwiches and lighter-tasting foods, like fish and vegetables.

Host Virtual Tea Parties

If you want to reduce pollution, consider having a virtual tea party over the computer. 

You can hold your tea party over any number of video programs, from Facetime and Skype to Zoom, or stream on YouTube. If you decide to livestream your event, obtain a proper microphone and camera so the party is seen and heard crystal clear. Before the party starts, make it a point to test all of the equipment so you can ensure that the party will start right away without a hitch.

There are many other tactics that you can borrow from professional content creators to elevate your tea party. One is to learn how to create social media posts and spread the word about your upcoming tea party event. That way you can attract a good number of guests. You could eventually parlay that success into live events if your parties become a hit. Even if you don’t succeed immediately, don’t give up; someday, you could even be paid for your efforts.

When you host your sustainable virtual party, educate your online guests on how they can save energy from their own homes. Advise how they can turn down the lights or move closer to the window to avoid electricity altogether. You can also teach them how to make sustainable tea party decorations. Spread the word about living an eco-friendly life to people around the globe. You’ll be doing your part to make the world a better place. 

Conclusion

These are the fun and exciting ways to have a sustainable tea party that can take the world by storm. If the tea is tasty, the decorations are festive, and you help the earth at the same time, you’ll be able to call your party a success.

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