Sustainable Choices

Question

Dear Kate,

Right now, we are in the stage of planning where we are looking for a florist, and subsequently ideas for centerpieces and bouquets, and we're also beginning to look for invitations. Do you have any advice on how to ensure green centerpieces, bouquets and invitations? Thanks so much!

B'Shalom,
Gail

Answer
Hi Gail,

First, if you have not already, I recommend taking a look in the interactive look book. There you can find hundreds of links to vendors that offer environmentally friendly invitations, flowers and centerpieces. If you are crafty and want to make invitations I also recommend looking in the DIY section.

If you want to use local flowers, you can check local harvest to find growers, or call around and see if any of the florists in your area are able to use local, seasonal and organic blooms. For centerpieces consider potted plants, or baskets of sustainable treats.

Finally, to answer your general question - the best way to avoid "greenwashing" and to find reliable eco-friendly products is to rely on certifying agencies (e.g. USDA organic food, FSC certified wood products, or Fair Trade Certified favors). When dealing with local companies or vendors I think the easiest way to tell if they are green is to just ask questions. Ask potential florists where they source their flowers from, whether they can avoid using disposable florist tape and foam, and if they can donate the flowers for you after the celebration. Ask caterers where they get their meat, what they do with empty can and bottles, and whether they can compost or donate leftovers. In my experience, companies and people who are committed to being green will be eager to talk about these details - while companies that are hoping to sneak through with an eco-sounding name will try to change the topic quickly. Go with the gut.

That said, if you have a particular theme or item in mind and want specific suggestions please let me know - I am more than happy to help!

Wishing you all the best,

Kate

Green Wedding Shower

Question:
A friend is getting married and we want to throw a green theme shower. Any ideas on how to write that in the invitation without sounding too quirky? We were thinking the theme should be green gifts but I don't want people to think literally the color green, "eco-friendly" is it...

Thanks so much,
Mira Duncan

Answer:
Hi Mira!

First, I think throwing a green shower is a wonderful idea and so much fun! My mother hosted a green shower for me and you are right to worry about the "confusion" (see picture below). Not that there is anything wrong with a green "green" shower, but if you want to throw an eco-friendly event I recommend using some of the many synonyms out there including: eco-friendly (as you suggest), sustainable, environmentally friendly, and organic when describing your objective. I also suggest including some examples of "green" gifts that might be appropriate to help people who do not know what to look for. I have included a number of items and companies in the look book that might work. Please let me know if you are looking for a green version of anything in particular. As the website is so new I only have a small fraction of the green products I recommend in the book up online.

Have a wonderful time at the shower! I hope you will come back and share your pictures afterward...

All the best,

Kate

Looking for shower game ideas?

(Print at home on recycled paper)

Finding Local Vendors

Question:
Hi Kate,
I am having trouble finding environmentally friendly vendors in my area for apparel, invitations, favors, etc. It seems green weddings are a pretty big deal on the west coast, and in larger cities, but if I were to ship those things here, the energy used in their arrival would pretty much defeat the purpose. Are you aware of anyone who can help me within fifty or so miles of XXXX, Ohio? I feel kind of stuck here... Thanks for your time.

Answer:
You bring up a problem that a lot of couples and wedding planners face. While it is harder to find green vendors and products outside major metropolitan areas it is not impossible. Here is what I recommend:

1. Flowers - You can often find organic farms and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) projects that grow organic or pesticide-free flowers in your region at Local Harvest. The next best option is buy certified organic blooms from a company listed on the Veriflora website. Although they will have to be shipped to you, which requires additional fuel as you note, there is an argument to be made that organic flowers shipped from California do less environmental damage than flowers that are conventionally grown locally (a process that requires petroleum based fertilizers and toxic pesticides and herbicides = all inputs that have to be transported to the farm and pollute the local environment).

2. Food - Local Harvest is a good way to find local organic ingredients if you plan to cook or bake yourself. You can find a list of green restaurants by state on The Green Restaurant Association Website. For green hotels and other venues try the Green Hotel Association website.

3. Clothing + Invitations. These items are a bit trickier. I have begun to list green clothing designers and wedding invitation companies in the interactive look book. You can always buy natural fabric (organic cotton, hemp, tencel) from a local fabric store and ask a local designer to create something. You can also find wonderful used dresses at thrift stores, consignment shops and online (see eBay for example). For invitations you can recycle paper you have laying around your house, make your own paper or go virtual.

4. Favors - Favors are a great place to include local delicacies. Maple syrup from a local farm, hot sauces, handmade soaps - almost anything can be tuned into a favor if presented properly. Work with local artisans and farms in your area to come up with something unique. If you are worried about shipping - but want to use something from out-of-state - consider choosing something light weight that also reduces green house gases (see the seed or tree favors page for examples).

5. More ideas - I would also recommend looking at what eco-conscious vendors are listed in your area in the Co-op America's Green Pages. Portovert's wedding guide can also be helpful (although they do not have anything for Ohio yet). It is also worth Googling terms like "green weddings Ohio" - which led me to the article Great Ideas for a Green Wedding Ohio that lists some additional green businesses.

Hope this helps!

Where can I find recycled paper invitations?

Did you know that for every ton of paper that is recycled, we save 17 tress, 380 gallons of oil, 4,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, 7,000 gallons of water, and 60 pounds of air pollution from being released into the environment? It's a lot right? They key is finding invitations that have been crafted from post-consumer waste (PCW) paper as opposed to regular recycled paper which is made from leftover paper from the processing plant (most of which would have been re-pulped anyway).

The good news is that the number of vendors offering recycled paper invitations is growing every day. If you want to do the assembly at home, Twisted Limb Paper has a number of styles (see example in top right photo). Naturally Ever After offers paper with 30% PCW, and Green Field Paper Company has some beautiful designs (see top left photo).