From the Newsletter…
Can Celebrations Be Sustainable?
I go out walking with a group of dog walkers who self-appointed themselves as The Dog Squad, most evenings, and the dogs absolutely love it – if you were to visit our local woodlands, you’re likely to hear us before you see us (I promise we’re not screaming profanities because one dog is eating the other’s poop!)!
Last Saturday, we decided to divert off our usual path. It was a beautiful spring evening. There were plenty of people having picnics, the dogs were playing with each other, no-one was stealing sandwiches - it was chilled!
Image of a woodland with bluebells, logs, and evening sunlight streaming through the trees
On all of our walks, particularly as the weather has improved, I’ve noticed people taking full advantage of the green spaces across the woodland.
Namely full-blown charcoal briquette barbeques being dragged out, music blasting, and litter everywhere. As much as I want people to enjoy these spaces, I also want them to have more respect for the nature and wildlife around them – but that always feels a little like wishful thinking.
However, on this particular Saturday evening walk, we walked across the field that runs adjacent to the River Mersey, when something caught the corner of my eye.
I looked down and saw confetti.
Pink. Blue. Gold
Someone had a gender reveal party. Except, the gold discs weren’t paper, they were tiny bits of foil. On closer inspection, it was a mix of pink, blue, and gold foil pieces – each around the size of a 5p coin – and there were hundreds of them, spread across a 4-5 metre space.
Blue and gold foil litter the grass, alongside popped and discarded balloons
Sustainability Feels Like A Buzzkill
I get it – people just want to have fun!
Nobody wants the killjoy coming over telling others what they can and can’t do!
Except, this is a public space. This is a space in nature, and you’ve had your fun and walked away, leaving hundred of foil discs across the grass, along with remnants of burst balloons and streamers, a stone’s throw from the river... and that’s when it becomes a problem.
These materials don’t just vanish. They break down into microplastics and leach harmful chemicals into our soil and waterways. Wildlife are attracted to the shimmer - they eat it, and it builds up in the food chain.
Confetti is often made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a plastic that can take up to 1,000 years to break down. When it comes in small forms - like confetti and glitter - it's instantly a pollution risk.
During my studies on benthic invertebrates on the Dee Estuary, I saw this firsthand. Tiny animals like Corophium - a crucial food source for migratory birds - had microplastics in their stomachs. And once it’s in the system, the damage is hard to undo.
I’ll happily be the party pooper
…if it means you’re going to make a more sustainable decision!
If you’re planning on hosting a party, picnic or outdoor gathering, here are some quick tips for you to try and make the event more sustainable:
Use paper-only confetti outdoors or put down a ground sheet so you can collect it all afterwards.
Swap balloons for reusable bunting or paper pom-poms — less waste, just as festive.
Ditch balloon releases altogether - blow bubbles instead. They’re just as fun (and way more magical).
Remember: glitter is litter
If you want a more guidance for a sustainable event – check out my free guide!
And if you’re wondering – we, The Dog Squad, got down on our hands and knees and picked up every single foil disc that was on the ground!
Because we love these green spaces. And I know you do too.