This year I made a promise to myself to live more sustainable for many reasons. Little did I know that this decision would roll into every part of our families life. Food, shelter, occupation,health care, kid’s activities,and travel.

You could add to this list I am sure.

Well, this time of year it is birthday time! Both my kid’s birthdays are in the fall and I was puzzled on how to throw a cool 7 year old birthday party. With many request from my son for Batman, Spiderman, and a guy named Sponge Bob, the job was going to be a tough one. Do you know how well these images are marketed?… themed plates, napkins,cups, table cover, streamers, loot bags, toys,candy and balloons. Stuff, stuff, stuff. I felt it was a good time for an important life lesson for the kids- use your imagination!

Together we came up with a spin off of Survivor… It was the “Clark’s Cast Away Party”. To make the theme legit. We started with:

1. Invitations: gotta go green here, right? So I recycled paper and stained them with tea bags, crumbed them, then flatted them, wrote a map and trial on the invitation… rolled it up like a treasure map and tied it with Raffi. ( I thought it was cool) One of the kid’s grandma called to let me know her grandson had the flu and she makes a comment. “Oh, sorry I got this invitation and it is all dirty and crumbed…”
Oh, ya…The kid’s loved them!

2.Food: Well, to my son it is ALL about the cake. Sorry no birdseed, cake recipes ( maybe one day). Plain old chocolate cake. Hand made into a shape of a tree branch. A little education and imagination next thing you know it I had the kid’s guessing what it was and talked about outdoor survival.

Main Course: Store bought pizza, individually boxed. I bet your saying why individually?… I used them for the plate, then the other side for the cake and then recycled the box in our urban composting system. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Right! And I did not have to cook. I would like to think that I shared the wealth by employing hard working young pizza delivery people.

3. The LOOT BAG: Now as a parent you never, ever miss the loot bag. This is important stuff for new parents.What I dislike about the LOOT BAG. Cheap, breakable, plastic, dollar store toys, trinkets, games, and candy. What I love about the LOOT BAG, is the gift of giving. This is the most expensive part of the birthday. Good quality loot bag gifts that where theme driven. I bought stretchy mitts, hat’s, real thermal emergency blankets, LED flashlights, good quality candy (worms, bugs). All at the dollar store…. oh, ya and organic bananas, and water bottles. Packaged in recycled grocery bags… these where full.

It was a great hit with the kids.

We face painted, played treasure hunting, made body art for S.O.S, had one leg balancing contests,

and ate with our hands… cake, bananas and all.

If you have any other ideas. Add a comment?