So you're planning for a party. Some of the first things on the shopping list are paper plates, disposable utensils and plastic cups, right? But we all know that when the party's over, our celebration adds to our massive landfills--quite the downer after a party.

Sustainable Party is a social enterprise that's out to make your party as fun and rewarding for your conscience as it is for your guests. As they say, their store "enables people to embrace sustainability in all aspects of the party that is life."

The Sustainable Party site is a one-stop shop for making your party better for the earth, from products like beautiful recycled bamboo plates, to compostable cutlery (pictured at right). They even offer additional tools, like tips and tricks for making every event eco-conscious and awesome (they also have sustainable signage that reminds your guests of responsible acts, like composting their plates and turning off the lights). Don't know how or where to compost? Sustainable Party can send you a list of compost facilities near you, or, even easier, they'll handle the composting for you as part of their "Party Take Back" program (check out their great reasoning here).

The people behind Sustainable Party were inspired by the massive amount of waste generated by company events, conferences, and meetings at founder Emily Doubilet's office. (Yes, even a lot of social and environmental groups still often used traditional plastic materials!) When a search turned up no clear resource online to find other options, Emily took things into her own hands to create a place for anyone looking to green their events and their lifestyle without losing the fun.

So the next time you need to plan an event, make sure to check out the Character Approved Sustainable Party. That way, we'll all have something to celebrate.

[Images: Sustainable Party]