Going Green: Baby Showers

Gotta love Mothering Magazine.

Their most recent issue features a wonderful article called "Your Sustainable Shower," which tells the true story of a couple dedicated to hosting a seriously green shower.

Sound good? It's not as hard as you may think and Mothering has compiled some good ideas/resources/links to help you and your new babe go green. We're posting a few ideas below, but definitely visit Mothering for a comprehensive list of green shower ideas.

Remember: Baby showers are not about who can buy the biggest plastic toy, but about celebrating the beautiful new life about to be born, and the proud parents who are bringing that life into the world.

Help shrink paper waste by sending your invitations online.

From what to bring to the type of gifts to choose, you can make this shower the sort of event that people look forward to by giving clear, concise information that will intrigue, not annoy. You may be the consummate ecologically minded host who looks forward to honoring your friend, sister, daughter—or yourself—with a party that’s close to perfect, but don’t assume that everyone knows what an eco-shower is.

Any successful party has great food—but how much food does a great party really need? We’ve come to associate satisfaction with overabundance—we enjoy seeing tables overflowing with selections, but all too often, such generosity leads to waste.

Instead of a commercial “bride bingo” game, which relies on and reinforces the old babyshower model, ask each guest to bring a photo of herself and the guest of honor enjoying a favorite memory together.

Encourage guests to wrap presents in ecofriendly ways by including a reminder in your invitation: “In an effort to reduce paper waste, we ask that gifts be wrapped in recycled or reusable materials: baby blankets, storage boxes, or reusable bags.” (or recycled bags/boxes like at CGB!)

Learn more at Eco Savvy Showers. And be sure to visit CGB online for the cutest and most eco-friendly shower gifts!