INVITATIONS:

• Buy 100% PCW recycled invitations that are processed without chlorine. Encourage guests to recycle their invitations, or have seeds embedded in the paper so that guests can plant the invitations and enjoy the flowers that grow from them.
• Choose miniature sized invitations. This saves paper, money, and the diminutive size is appropriate and adorable for celebrating a baby!
• Use a phone or e-mail RSVP--you’ll save paper and money.
• Let guests know what to expect with the language you choose for the shower invitation: "Gina has chosen to have a natural pregnancy and birth. Let’s help her celebrate with a natural/organic/green/eco-friendly baby shower." or "You are invited to a natural/organic/green/eco-friendly baby shower in honor of Gina, so that her daughter can grow up on a beautiful and healthy planet."

GIFTS:

• Request that guests wrap presents creatively (newspaper, baby blankets, re-using wrapping paper or gift-bags).
• Register for sustainable baby items like cloth diapers, organic clothes, items made from recycled/reclaimed material.
• Suggest gifts from thrift stores and/or baby re-use stores.
• Recommend that your guests bring a tree to plant in honor of your baby’s birth. An especially nice idea is having guests bring 1-3 year old dwarf fruit trees. These will begin bearing fruit by the time your daughter or son is four or five years old and is able to enjoy the experience of picking and eating the fruit.

TRANSPORTATION:

• Host the shower at a home that’s centrally located and the most convenient for the majority of guests.
• Ask your guests to carpool to the shower.
• Have a climate-neutral shower! Offset the CO2 pollution from your guests' travel by investing in renewable energy initiatives with: Native Energy, Carbon Fund, or Terra Pass.

FOOD:

• Serve a nutritious lunch of organic, locally grown foods, but don’t forget the fair trade chocolate or organic (and possibly vegan) cake made by a local bakery.
• Use your best dishes, flatware and cloth napkins and recruit close friends to stay afterwards for a dishwashing party.
• Set out recycling and compost bins and encourage their use.

FAVORS:

• Give useful all-natural and organic prizes for any games you might play like organic fair trade teas or natural locally made soaps.
• In lieu of favors, donate a small amount of money per guest to a children’s organization.

DECORATIONS:

• Use a few simple floral arrangements or potted plants (preferably organic and locally grown) in lieu of streamers and balloons for decorating.