Eco-Friendly Wine Coolers: Sustainable Wine Storage & Serving Ideas

Get off on the right foot - First thing's first: the invites. Make sure you use invites made from recycled paper. If ordering them from a professional, ask that they use recycled paper.

Faux Flowers - Gone are the days of deplorable fake flowers you could spot a mile away.  These days, if you're know where to look, fake flowers can pass for the real thing. The even better upside is they're reusable so you'll save money in the long run, plus you're not contributing to flower butchery nor the very unsustainable flower industry. 

However, if faux is not your thing, then get flowers from the local farmers markets.  You can even get great arrangements and settings out of potted plants and flowers.  There's also the clever use of moss as decorative center pieces. Moss is not only cheap, sustainable, and uber chic - it can also be planted afterwards. 

Lighting and D?cor - One big aspect of party planning is how the party will look and the atmosphere that lighting and decorations will create. Rather than choosing blazing electric lights to illuminate the event, choose more environmentally friendly lighting. Candles are the perfect choice, as they are both lovely and economical.

Eco-Friendly Wine - Because it's not just about what you're using, but what you're consuming, try switching out your wine for one that is more Earth friendly.  There are three categories of eco-friendly wines: sustainable, organic, and biodynamic.

"Sustainable" means that the grapes were grown with few to no chemical, fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, thereby keeping the soil naturally nurtured, whereas organic wines are grown in organically certified vineyards and are made without added sulfites.

Lastly, biodynamic winemaking goes way beyond organics. The farm is viewed in its entirety to as a living system. The soil used is treated with complex compost preparations (of course without chemicals or pesticides), including quartz, yarrow flowers, stinging nettle, and more. Biodynamic winemakers claim to have noted stronger, clearer, more vibrant tastes in their wines. In fact, a blind tasting conducted by Fortune found that nine of the biodynamic wines in the tasting were judged superior to their conventional counterpart.

Now all you have to do switch out bulky refrigerators for a compact wine cellar. Using less energy and costing less to run than conventional cooling options, portable wine coolers also add a dash of sophistication to any party.

Sustainable Serving - Party pieces are in the dozens when it comes to tableware. If you consider the glasses, dishes, knives, forks, bowls, and all the other little items used to create a smash hit setting, you quickly start to realize how much goes into entertaining. 

In order to host not only your guests, but a more eco-friendly lifestyle, consider purchasing tableware made out of recycled materials.  You don't even have to trade in your luxe taste. In a green conscious corporate world, companies across the board are all offering unique yet refined dining options, including dishes made out of recycled glass. Target, for example, has recycled glass goblets great for a Sunday brunch; whereas Macy's has stunning cobalt blue stemless wineglasses that would be a striking visual for an evening dinner.

However, if you're opting for something even more sustainable, try compostable cornware tableware, biodegradable sugarcane plates, or even biodegradable bambooware.  These serving alternatives are not only green but far cheaper than buying 50 sets of "real" dishes to accommodate larger gatherings.

The same idea of sustainability extends to what you put on your dishes. Instead of buying your food from large commercial grocers (which involve high cost and resource use to grow and transport the food), try supporting your local grocers instead - or at least purchase organic foods from companies that support green business practices.

Ice Goes Eco - There's no point in wasting time, gas, paper and plastic by going to the store to purchase ice for your party.  Rather, a sleek compact portable ice maker will quickly plunk down cube upon cube to keep drinks nice and cool. 

Hostess Gifts - Anyone that throws a great eco-party knows the trick to get people to see how chic eco can be. And any chic eco-hostess knows to lead by example even when attending other parties. When attending another bash, swap out your normal hostess gift for one that is earth-friendly.  The same goes for others who obey the rule of "do not go empty handed" - simply swap out the routine bouquet of flowers or bottle of wine with something eco-chic that shows of your cleverness and commitment to the environment.

There are a ton of options between eco-jewelry, candles, home made gifts, and an array of sustainable gifts made from recycled materials.  There's even a growing trend of green toys if it's a child's birthday you happen to be attending. But more importantly, there's no reason to give green gifts just as a hostess gift; swap out Christmas and birthday presents, for the same. 

But above all, here's the simplest rule for eco-entertaining: "Use what you have, and borrow what you don't".

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