Throw An Eco-friendly Viewing Party For The Inauguration

Inauguration of President Barack Obama by sneakerdog (CC BY 2.0)

On Monday, January 21, 2013, the inauguration of President Barack Obama will take place on the steps of the Capitol a day after a private swearing-in ceremony at the White House. Grouping at the nation’s Capitol building will be prominent Congressional members and VP Joe Biden among others. While those living in Washington, D.C. will likely be down on the national mall, others will be in their homes watching the inauguration on their TVs. If you are planning on throwing a viewing party for the inauguration, why not make it a green viewing party?

White House viewing stand construction
Construction of the White House viewing stand for the inauguration grand procession from the Capitol to the White House (Photo by Rachel Jacobs)

While the presidential inaugural committee continues to plan for the inauguration in January, you should begin planning for a green viewing party at home! Throw together some locally grown foods, invite friends over, and gather around the television to watch this historical event unfold.

Here are some green ideas for hosting your own green viewing party for the inauguration:

The Inauguration in D.C.Carpool
When inviting friends and family over to watch the inauguration together in front of one TV (saving energy), ask your guests to carpool.

Have a Buffet
Serve food buffet style for the inauguration viewing. Some people won’t want a full meal, so by serving buffet style you’ll be saving food, saving green and going green.President Obama Press Conference East Room

Use Biodegradable Products
When serving food, use biodegradable products. It is getting easier and easier to find biodegradable cutlery, tableware, cups and food storage containers! Use them and then put them in compost.

Recycle Decorations
If you want to decorate for the inauguration, use decorations you may have lying around from the election. If you don’t have any political gear, use decorations that come from the outdoors. Celebrate the winter chill with pinecones, acorns or other items you would find on an outdoor walk during this time of year. After all, the inauguration in 2009 is still very well remembered for the winter chill that 1.8 million people braved in order to see America’s first black president-elect take the presidential oath.

Follow the theme of the inauguration: “Faith in America’s Future.” Try to make your green viewing party for the inauguration as low­-energy and low-­carbon as possible. Although this won’t stop global warming, it will set a symbol for the moving the country forward. In the President’s first term, the administration accomplished green environmental initiatives from restoring ecosystems in the Chesapeake Bay and the Everglades to reducing mercury pollution from power plants. Learn more about President Obama’s plans for the environment and find out how you can help in his next term.

Obama Press Conference
President Obama addressing the White House Press Corps in November 2012 (Photo by Rachel Jacobs)

Visit the inauguration’s committee website to learn more about the inauguration and visit the Go Green section to learn about more ways to go green.

If you know of any green parties being thrown in honor of the inauguration or have any suggestions on throwing an eco-friendly party for the inauguration, let me know in the comments below!