Green Initiatives at the Rye Nature Center

—Jeni Vogel, Education and Program Coordinator

Do you know long does it take for a single paper plate to decompose? The answer is almost five years. Do you know how many paper or plastic plates have been thrown into the trash this past year due to birthdays at the Rye Nature Center? The number is astonishing - almost 1,800 plates! This number does not account for the cups, plastic forks, spoons, napkins, plastic water bottles, tablecloths, balloons, and decorations that also end up in the trash at the end of the day. We are only one place among many where families host birthday parties, serving food on paper or plastic plates throughout the community.
After week after week of watching paper plates, cups, tablecloths, etc. being thrown into the garbage each weekend, the Nature Center staff decided it was time for a change. We knew that we needed to take the initiative for a greener tomorrow.
After much discussion among the staff and our board of directors, the Rye Nature Center now offers "green" birthday parties. We provide re-useable, BPA-free tableware and compostable goods. We limit the number of decorations including plastic goods, favors, piñatas, and balloons that enter our facility. We hope that this initiative will help eliminate the amount of waste at the Nature Center and encourage both birthday host families and their guests to think about their child's next birthday and how they came make a change in their own lives for a greener tomorrow.