WASHINGTON (Map, News) - With Earth Day just around the corner on Sunday, one way to celebrate being green is to host a green party. This has nothing to do with politics — it’s a way to share your adoration for keeping our planet clean and to enjoy the company of friends.

Evite, the Web-based invitation site, makes it easy to forget the “open and throw away” paper invites and to instead send online invitations. In 2006, more than 170 million Evite invitations were sent, saving more than 5.3 million pounds of paper, and 3,500 trees. Evite launched in 1998 and people picked it up right away. Eva Ingvarson, Evite’s editor and trend expert, shares her tips to host the perfect Earth Day party, while ensuring minimal impact on the environment. “Evite is great for eco-friendly parties,” she said.

» Don’t ride alone. Encourage guest to walk, ride a bike or carpool. Evite launched a carpool option in 2006, and it’s a simple tool to get guests to meet each other before the party even starts. “The carpool tool is really popular,” Ingvarson said. She added that guests can see a map to the party, along with where the guests are along the way. “The invites are so personalized and graphical, it starts the party before you even get there because it brings people together before they arrive at the party.”

» Decorate in style. Use plants and live greenery as decor. Different types of plants, floral arrangements and bamboo will provide great ambiance, and plants are natural air purifiers.

» Earth-friendly entrees. Visit your local farmer’s market or supermarket for organically grown appetizers. Serve simple finger foods such as range-free, organic chicken wraps, cheese platters with nuts and fruits and hummus served with flat bread and vegetables. And, don’t forget nonalcoholic beverage options. “It doesn’t get better than sun tea,” Ingvarson said. And every college kid will be glad to hear that kegs are more eco-friendly and less wasteful than bottles and cans.

“It saves on packaging as well as those red plastic cups,” Ingvarson said. “Make sure that people keep their own cup; they can decorate them so they aren’t taking new ones each time.” Ingvarson added that the host or hostess could choose artfully mismatched cups and plates, instead of disposable products. “That whole shabby chic look is very popular now.”