7 Eco-friendly Easter Ideas

From seasonal decorations to Easter eggs, balloons and gifts, there’s always a lot of excess waste associated with the springtime holiday. However, there are ways you can enjoy the Easter weekend in a sustainable way.

Our eco-friendly ideas make for perfect Easter decorations, gifts, or even just a bit of fun with friends and family, all whilst minimising any damage to the environment.

1. Button Easter Egg

Buttons… let’s face it, they fall off from time to time – most of the time when this happens, we throw them in a draw or tin, never to be used again! We’ve found a use for those hoarded buttons; create your very own button Easter egg decoration. 

Simply draw (or trace around an oval object) your Easter egg onto your canvas. You canvas could be as simple as a piece of card from packaging, or an old plank of wood that went unused. Then, in small sections, apply some adhesive (we recommend using casein glue, which you can make from kitchen supplies but any craft glue you have to hand will work) within the tracing of the egg. Do a tiny bit at a time so you can move around buttons as needed. Fill the egg with buttons and let dry. It’s that easy!

2. Plantable Easter Eggs

A wonderful alternative to traditional chocolate or plastic Easter eggs, are plantable Easter eggs made from biodegradable materials, such as seed paper. These eggs can be planted in soil after Easter, and they will sprout into beautiful flowers or herbs, leaving no waste behind.

3. Natural Egg Decorating

After you've broken your eggs, emptied the insides into a bowl (don't forget to save them for some scrambled eggs) and cleaned them with water, you can begin decorating. Instead of using synthetic egg dyes, why not use natural dyes made from food items, such as beetroot, spinach, turmeric, or blueberries. You can create beautiful, eco-friendly Easter eggs using these natural dyes, which are safe for the environment. If you want to add a little something extra to your eggs, you could use feathers or petals from the garden. 

4. Zero-waste Picnic

Replace store-bought Easter treats with homemade snacks and meals. Plan a zero-waste picnic using local, organic, and sustainably sourced ingredients. Use reusable cutlery, cloth napkins, and biodegradable or compostable food containers to minimise waste even more. 

5. Outdoor Easter Egg Hunt

Get your friends and family together for an outdoor egg hunt in the garden, a local park or nature reserve to encourage spending time in nature and enjoying the outdoors. Use naturally decorated eggs or plantable eggs to minimise waste.

6. DIY Easter Baskets

Make your own Easter baskets using recycled or upcycled materials such as old cardboard boxes, wicker baskets, or fabrics. You could head into the garden to collect some decorative items like petals, sticks and leaves. 

7. Create Clay Decorations 

Head into the kitchen and grab some flour, salt, oil and water, mix it together to make a clay. Form your clay in whatever easter-themed shape you like, it could be a egg, chick, or bunny, and then bake! Use natural dyes from foods to decorate and voila!