By Taylor Romanowski

We know you all love your football on TV and whether you’re rooting for the Steelers, Jets, Bears or Packers we’re pretty sure that most of you out there are going to be celebrating. Whether you’re hosting a huge party, heading over to a friend’s place, or watching the game from your own sofa, there’s no excuse why your football celebration can’t be ECO! And that’s exactly why we whipped up this easy guide to throwing a fun and eco-friendly Super Bowl party.

We all love playing two-hand touch, eating way too much and watching our team win; those quarterbacks eating dirt, pom-poms and short skirts and fans who won’t quit…Stop stressing about hosting the perfect party – everyone’s going to be focused on the game anyway! Instead, sit back, relax, grab a cold one and watch your team bring home the Vince Lombardi. We got the rest covered…

Ditch The Paper…

With your Super Bowl bash approaching, your friends and family will of course need to be notified of your little shindig. Instead of going through the hassle and energy of sending out invitations, you can save loads of paper by going wireless. Check out websites like evite or pingg, which specialize in electronic invitations. You can send invites, track them, and your guests can even view a map to your house. No stamp or mailbox needed! If you have a Facebook account, take advantage of the events application by sending your party invite to all your Facebook friends!

Not tech savvy? No problem! Utilize recycled paper, newspaper clippings of Super Bowl ads and cardboard beer boxes by making your own invitations, a creative way to show your team spirit while doing your part in saving planet earth. Reusing these products save trees and gives back to the environment, which makes Mother Nature one happy camper.

All That Flair…

Don’t bother with a ton of fancy Super Bowl decorations, let’s face it – everyone’s eyes will be glued to the game and food for most of the party. Instead of going out and purchasing a bunch of items that are just going to end up the landfill the next day, use reusable items or items you already have. For instance, reusable tablecloths, ribbons or beads in your team’s colors will spruce up your joint while leaving your wallet and our environment happy.

Whip Up Tasty Grub…

We all love that game day food. Beer and chips are the perfect foods to serve at your fiesta, but also consider serving fresh fruits and vegetables to munch on. When you’re planning your team menu try to support local farmers by buying your ingredients at the farmers market. Gather together carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower and cherry tomatoes and make your own veggie tray with a handmade dip made using fresh ingredients. You’ll be supporting local farmers and helping cut down on the fossil fuels that are used to transport the items across the country or even the world. According to the Clean Air Counsel, “Every day 43,000 tons of food are thrown out in the United States,” make your entertaining extra green by donating any leftover food to a homeless shelter.

Eat Off This…

Each year Americans toss out enough paper and plastic cups, forks and spoons to circle the equator 300 times (Clean Air Counsel) – make sure to avoid serving your food on paper and plastic dinnerware. Paper plates may be easy and convenient, but they fill up landfill space and are bad for the environment. Made from petroleum and natural gases, paper plates and cups have harsh chemicals and bleaches right on the surfaces that you eat and drink from.

That’s why we suggest you and your guests eat your next meal off of biodegradable plates, napkins and cups made from bamboo and corn – natural and renewable resources that grow back year, after year, after year. Switching to something more natural is better for you and better for the environment... it’s the healthy choice! 

 Another alternative to green up your Super Bowl party, instead of using disposable dinnerware use your day-to-day plates, silverware and cups and wash them in your dishwasher with an eco-friendly detergent such as Boulder 100% Natural Cleaner Dish Liquid in Apple or Orange that are chlorine and phosphate free.

Clean-Up Everybody, Everywhere…

Once the trophy is won and the party is over make sure to gather all the cans and bottles together to recycle. During the time it takes you to read this sentence, 50,000 12-ounce aluminum cans are made; recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours — that’s just one can! If you recycle all the cans used at your party you would have enough energy to run the entire Super Bowl plus the after game highlights and catch the next basketball game!

Now that you have the tools you need to make the perfect GREEN Super Bowl party stop reading and start cheering on your team!