Flying the friendly skies may never be green, but it’s heartening to hear that some airlines are lessening their enviromental impact. Virgin Atlantic is leading the way by testing sustainable fuel sources. Delta Airlines recently initiated an onboard recycling plan. American Airlines added winglets which are 8-foot vertical extensions to the wing tips. By doing this, the airline will save up to 290,000 gallons of fuel per plane annually. Other airlines have plans to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by simply towing their planes closer to the runways. Give them a hand-they’re trying!

Visit a local independent bookstore and let their staff help you design craft activities and story time in the theme of your child’s choice. Instead of goody bags filled with plastic toys, each child can pick out a book to take home as a memento. The birthday child could also receive books as gifts from his guests. Parents and kids will experience a wonderful story-lovers adventure and you’ll be supporting a local business.

Indulge your child’s natural desire to dig in the dirt, chase butterflies, bird watch and collect insects. All you need is a park like setting and the kids can plant flowers or herbs in a decorative container to take home. They can even decorate the flower pot themselves. Make the food part of the party a picnic.

If your child is wild about animals, invite a trained handler to come and present a program. There are many local agencies and programs such as the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program or even the humane society that will help kids learn first-hand about wildlife and the environment. Instead of gifts, children can be asked to bring pet food, bowls, toys or bedding to donate. And the small fee that these programs charge goes toward the care and rehabilitation of their animals.

Any art and craft party is always a huge success with children and even teenagers. Plan an age-appropriate art activity for their take home goody gift and watch their creativity soar. Instead of a goody bag filled with plastic toys and candy, let your guests craft their own souvenirs. Ask guests to create original artwork for the birthday child that can be placed in a scrapbook instead of purchasing birthday cards. It’s also fun to whip up some home-made organic ice cream or make a big fruit salad of local items.

Decorate with items-such as banners and posters-that can be used over again. Use reusable plates, and napkins when you can and print the invites on recycled paper. Order an Eco-Cycle’s Zero Waste Event Kit which provides compostable tableware and cutlery and a compost-collection container.

If you are still feeling a bit overwhelmed at the thought of planning an environmentally friendly birthday party, check out this site that gives you extra resources and alternative ideas and of course it’s called Birthdays Without Pressure.