Tips for supporting our parks during celebrations
Celebrating life’s big moments is part of what makes us human. We love to join with friends and family to celebrate birthdays, graduations, new births, and everything in between. Every day, community members choose our parks to celebrate these moments. As an organization, we are beyond grateful to play a role in these special moments.
Sometimes our celebrations can harm our parks’ ecosystem. When we choose not to dispose of confetti, balloons, and other party supplies, they can end up being ingested by wildlife or floating into our waterways. This can be especially dangerous for animals, as ingested confetti can lead to internal cuts, intestinal clogging, and even death. Let’s look at a few ways to have eco-friendly celebrations in the park!
Dispose of your materials after use.
It’s easy to get distracted when having fun with family and friends; just remember to clean up any confetti, litter, or balloons before you leave. It only takes a moment to dispose of these hazardous materials in the trash, preventing animals from ingesting them and making life a little easier for our custodial and maintenance staff.
Use biodegradable alternatives when possible.
Looking to add a pop of color to your party? Instead of balloons or confetti, try flowers! You can buy dried flower petals to use as confetti, or a fresh bouquet to make a stylish centerpiece. Not only do flowers look beautiful and smell great, but they’re also biodegradable. This means they can decompose and return their nutrients to the environment, unlike actual confetti, which is made of plastic and therefore does not decompose.
Still not sure if something is safe to use in the park? Feel free to contact us and ask. Our local wildlife and waterways will be grateful for your help. We cannot wait to host your next celebration—safely, of course!
