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Sure, you want your fraternity or sorority house to be the favorite on campus--and developing a reputation for throwing your school's hottest parties wouldn't hurt. But those massive get-togethers won't do anything for the carbon footprint of your school (or, for that matter, the environmental goals of your chapter's house). Keep these green moves in mind while planning your next party to give your house an eco-friendly name while cementing your social status.
Get the word out:
Word of mouth may be all you need to take your party from brainstorm to bacchanalia, but you can also advertise without wasting money and paper on flyers that end up littering the quad. To attract a bigger crowd, try using Facebook or Evite for mass invites without the waste.
Encourage walking or carpooling:
This will probably happen whether you suggest it or not, but making sure your classmates don't drive to your party means the carbon output is trimmed--and it also means they won't be driving home after a night of drinking. Have taxi numbers on hand if it's not safe to walk late and night, and if your school offers a late-night shuttle service, see if you can request a stop at your house for the evening.
Pour green drinks:
The same rules for making your Sunday night Mad-Men-and-cocktails get-together environmentally friendly apply here: if you're serving hard liquor or wine, go with an organic version; if you're catering to a beer crowd, buy from a local brewery (and check Jennifer's post on for a list of college-town breweries tapping delicious--and green--draughts to see if there's one near you).
Cut back on waste:
Here's where the real environmental problems come into play--just scope out the tons of litter and empty plastic cups on your house's lawn on Sunday morning to see what kind of impact you're having. Beer bottles and cans are recyclable--but be sure to keep clearly-marked trash cans set out around your space to encourage their proper disposal. If you're serving food, make a compost pile too.
Buying kegs means fewer individual containers will end up in the trash, but those now-it's-a-party red cups you set out for Beirut are made of #5 plastic, which--in most states--isn't recyclable. As a guest, you could bring your own reusable cup or water bottle; as a host, stock up on biodegradable cups or take a cue from one Wesleyan student known for collecting used plastic cups at the end of the night, washing them, and setting them out for the next party to offer a reusable option without risking your good glassware.
