Ripples: Party kit conversation sparks a school activity

Sarah is Visitor Centre & Community Benefit Officer at Viridor's Beddington Energy Recovery Facility. As part of her role she spends time helping children understand what happens to the things we throw away. She came across Party Kit Network when she attended an online WEERM meeting where we were invited to speak.

"I had no idea there was somewhere you could borrow party items from," she told us. "I thought it would be great to promote."

But Sarah didn't just share the link and move on. She built something to take into local schools.  

Party planning with a purpose

Sarah had already been thinking about how to give the children she works with a more hands-on way to understand carbon footprints without making things complicated. Parties, she realised, were the perfect hook.

"Most children attend parties even if they don't have their own," she says. "Why not try and encourage them to plan an eco-friendly party? This may influence them as they get older when they start planning their own."

The activity she developed gives children a range of real party items (some single-use, some reusable) and a simple scoring system based on environmental impact. The higher the score, the worse the item is for the planet. It's basic by design.

"The basis of the activity is to build a foundation of knowledge that there are better alternatives," Sarah explains. "To give them an idea of what these may be, and how they can reduce their carbon footprint by swapping things out."

Where the surprises happen

Most children arrive already knowing that paper plates are better than single-use plastic. The why is where the real learning starts. And a few items never fail to catch them off guard.

Straws, for instance. The message there isn't swap to a reusable straw — it's that you probably don't need one at all. Reduce before reuse.

Small plastic party bag toys are another one. Sarah makes sure children understand what happens to those toys when the novelty wears off — many of them end up at exactly the kind of facility she works in. They get turned into energy rather than going to landfill, which is something. But reduce and reuse sit higher up the waste hierarchy, and that's the point she wants children to understand.

Party Kit Network gets a mention too, as an easy way to access reusable tableware because borrowing often makes more sense than buying.

"A lot of them have been excited at the thought of planning a party," Sarah says. "The activity emphasises that making a more eco-friendly choice doesn't have to be boring, which is a big misconception some people have."

The value of reuse

The props Sarah uses in the activity weren’t bought for the purpose. The tablecloth on the demonstration table is from her daughter's first birthday, twelve years ago - kept, reused, and now doing a second job teaching children about the value of reuse. 

It's a good illustration of something we say a lot: that the most sustainable item is the one you already have.

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We love hearing what people do with the idea of party kits once they encounter them. If you're working in education and want to find out more, or if you'd just like to find your nearest kit, visit partykitnetwork.org.