Simply Green Parties Review
Book Review:
Simply Green Parties
by Danny Seo
This book is set up in a way that really stimulates interest. There are a lot of colors and pictures and the layout is simple to follow. It includes directions and material lists to allow the reader to reproduce the ideas and projects that Danny creates with ease and comfort. Many of the ideas are very simple and easy to duplicate.
It's a fun book to look at, however I felt that there was still something missing from the projects and ideas he presented. I think most readers probably won't reuse as many ideas as are presented in the book, but use it rather as an example of some fun and exciting and "oh, isn't that creative" projects that are available to the eco-conscious event planner and lay person. I would have liked to have seen more ideas that are more tangible for the reader. For example, how to reuse and decorate old paper grocery bags for wrapping presents or how to convert those toilet paper rolls into something fun like party favor holders. I know that some people do have access to tree stumps, forest moss, excess makeup compacts and oyster shells, but at my house those items are a little harder to come by. Adding a few more easy to find materials that we might actually have at home (rather than having to go out and buy craft supplies) would have touched more people's lives.
Over all, I know it's a good start, and I have not seen an eco-friendly event idea book as easy to pick up and get ideas from as this one. I just wish it offered a few more ideas that were in my range of possibilities and those of so many folks who live in big cities and urban environments, those with less financial access to craft supplies or possibly less time to create or gather up materials, and those who may be new at sustainable living.
Some highlights that enjoyed from the book include:
- The storybook birdhouse project, which would be a fun activity to do with kids who've grown out of a few of their children's books.
- The naturally flavored water with cucumber or grapefruit, however I think it would be important to add that using plastic water bottles aren't the greenest option. Using tap water or filtered tap water is not only a greener option than water in plastic bottles, but is often healthier as water in plastic bottles isn't regulated like tap water and may result in contamination by Pthalates and other chemicals found in plastic.
- The idea of having socks at the door for folks to be welcomed to take their shoes off. Not only does taking your shoes off a great way to keep your floors and carpets clean, it also prevents a lot of toxins your shoes come into contact with out in the world from making their way into your house. I would have liked for that comment to have been made to suggest that this is something we might all want to start doing. But, I did learn from Danny that putting rolled up newspaper in the shoes you take off can absorb moisture and odor.
