Ideas for Eco-Friendly Table Decor

• Eggplants are an easy, edible and compostable way to incorporate purple into your color scheme. Jim Franco/Stockbyte/Getty Images

  Whether it's a Thanksgiving feast, an elegant anniversary party, a birthday celebration or simply a gathering of friends, there is always a way to make your next dinner party more eco-friendly. Set the tone for a planet-conscious evening with these eco-friendly table décor ideas, and perhaps allow them to influence other party planning decisions, such as offering a local and organic menu.

Natural Objects

• Gourds come in all different shapes, sizes and colors to brighten your table top. two gourds image by sonya etchison from Fotolia.com

  Items that can be found in your garden or at a local farmer's market such as tree boughs, fallen leaves, pine cones, acorns, rocks, gourds, fruits and vegetables. Fill a glass bowl with lemons, limes, apples or another pretty colored fruit or vegetable; arrange red, yellow and orange leaves around multicolored gourds; or use low-VOC paint and non-toxic glue to dress-up pine cones and tree boughs.

Living Flora

• Add green to your dinner with living plants that help counteract climate change. potted flower image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com

  Small potted plants or trees are an excellent centerpiece because they can easily be transplanted to a garden. Potted herbs are another great idea as they will pleasantly (and nontoxically) perfume the air and can be used in the cooking of future meals. Any of these potted plants can also be used as gifts for your guests to take home.

Candles

• Candlelit dinners can be romantic, but make sure you're not poisoning your guests with paraffin. Lighted candles. Glowing candles image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com

  Candles make for beautiful dinner lighting but be sure to use soy or beeswax, as traditional paraffin candles give off toluene and benzene, neither of which do you or your guests want to breathe.

Tableware

• Opt for reusable over disposable, the planet will appreciate it. tableware served for mealtime image by Alena Yakusheva from Fotolia.com

  A truly eco-friendly table will not have disposable napkins, plates, silverware or cups on it. Instead set the table with reusable items that will be washed and stored for later use after the meal is done. Although it may be tempting to use paper plates because clean-up is made easy, it is the planet that pays for such choices. Besides, the table will look much more elegant when adorned with actual flatware and glasses, even if they are mismatched.

Reuse and Repurpose

• Glass jars can find new life as vessels for beautiful eco-friendly decor. bunch of fresh red hot chilli pepper in a glass jar image by Elena Moiseeva from Fotolia.com

  If you choose to embellish your table with purchased décor, be sure to browse your local thrift store, swap meet, antique mall or craigslist for reusable or repurposed items instead of buying new, disposable (and likely plastic) decorations. Also look for glass jars and bowls, baskets, table linens, napkins and other items that you can give new purpose to.