Note that if you purchase something via one of our links, including Amazon, we may earn a small commission.
How to host with the Earth in mind.
When you have people over for dinner, how you serve the meal can matter just as much as the food itself. Is it time to reset your table? Shop secondhand instead of buying more mass-produced stuff, and to save amazing pieces from being tossed; buy locally made items to reduce the carbon cost of having products shipped to you from miles away, and support local artists and artisans when possible to bolster your community. And try to never, ever use disposable plates, cups, and utensils.
Locally Made Ceramic Dishes
Nicole Litvack is a frequent Bluedot contributor and a talented ceramicist based in San Diego. She makes the bowls you see here and they can be purchased online, but she encourages buying from any artists near you.
“Whether you are buying bowls from me or any local creator, opting for handmade goods — goods that are ideally (but not necessarily) created close to where you live — just adds a richness to your life. Every action, every object, every ingredient is an opportunity to support, uplift, and engage with the community as opposed to just getting something mass-produced,” Nicole says. “When you buy from a small maker, it really makes their day as opposed to a large company that doesn’t care. We can’t do this 100% of the time, but if we can start to do it where we can, it does make a difference.”
Vintage Silverware and Linens
Vintage silverware and linens are a great way to elevate your table setting. Buy them from a vintage shop or use family pieces passed down from generation to generation. They’re great conversation starters; having mix and match means you’re not out buying brand new sets.
Unwilted Floral Arrangements
Nothing ties together a dining table like a floral arrangement, but growing and shipping fresh blooms releases millions of tons of carbon — and once they get to you, they decompose all too soon, leaving you with a vase full of rotting mush. Fatigued by the impermanence of working with live flowers, longtime florist and lifelong nature-lover Liz Carter founded Unwilted, a company that offers realistic, sustainably made paper bouquets.
Liz’s crew carefully cuts, folds, and glues each bloom by hand, using Forest Sustainability Council–certified Italian crepe paper dyed with non-toxic inks. Customers can buy single stems or artful arrangements, all shipped in plastic-free, carbon-neutral packaging. Save 20% with code BLUEDOT20. Shop now or read our review.
Cloth Napkins
Not only do cloth napkins help reduce the paper waste produced at mealtime, but they can add color and texture to the table, giving you another chance to mix it up with a variety of designs. (You can even make them from fabric remnants you have lying around).
One of our favorite brands for cloth napkins, Atelier Saucier, sources sustainable and deadstock fabrics and turns them into gorgeous napkins that feel great in the hand, absorb spills, and wash well. Choose from their wide range of designs from lively patterns to delicately modern shades. Shop now or read our review.
