Eco-Friendly 4th of July Party Favors

This 4^th of July why not add some green to the red, white, and blue with eco-friendly party favors? Summer is the perfect time to go green, and 4^th of July doesn't have to be an exception.

For party favors, you may want to get back to nature. Try these simple tips.

Planting kits

Grab some seed packets of your choice (wildflower seeds work well for children, but there are many other options), repackage them in attractive packaging (even a recycled brown bag decorated by hand is cute) with instructions for planting the seeds inside or on the package, including contents of the seeds. If you want an indoor growing kit, you can place your seeds in a biodegradable pot to stay eco-friendly. Try to pick seeds that will bloom this year so that your guests can enjoy them soon. You can even select seeds that flower red, white, and blue.

Buy locally

See what's available and eco-friendly in your local area and still within budget for 4^th of July party favors. Locally grown fruits or dried fruits, or handcrafted gifts that might be available at your local co-op would be wonderful gifts. If you live in an area with an active green movement, you might even be able to find more ideas locally than I can give you.

Earth-friendly, reusable packaging

If you're putting together goodie bags, try using reusable or biodegradable packaging. Recycled boxes or fabric bags. It's not that hard at all to make a fabric bag of any size. Cut 2 squares or rectangles, sew up 3 sides, turn under 2 times and sew at the top, and tie closed with natural ribbons like raffia. If you have access to organic fabric, even better.

Wooden toys and trinkets

Wooden toys and trinkets are durable and can easily be made in an eco-friendly way. They make great 4^th of July party favors (and every other holiday). You could even turn wooden pieces or small toys into a craft project by painting them with eco-friendly hobby paints. Check a website like Eco Art Supplies to see what to look for in eco-friendly paints for your craft projects.

Sketch books

Sketch books and journals are fun for all ages. If you can find some that are recycled or made of environmentally friendly or tree-free paper, all the better. Kids love to draw, and some adults do as well, but if you can't find sketch books, journals will often do. Kids in particular like books they can write themselves and journals or diaries.

Green is in. It's easier than ever to find quality, eco-friendly party favors for your 4^th of July party, and by sharing, you're demonstrating how easy it is for others as well.