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Green Weddings

Weddings have come to epitomize American consumption, with couples spending – on average – upwards of $20,000 on their “once-in-a-lifetime” celebrations. In recent years, however, a growing number of couples are taking the position that they don’t want to start their futures by creating massive carbon footprints.

Green weddings that incorporate environmental values have spawned a mini-industry within the massively profitable American wedding industry. And more and more people are discovering that it’s not that hard – or expensive – to do.

Brides and grooms who want to celebrate their love without fueling excessive waste can:

• Buy a vintage wedding dress or one made of organic cotton.
• Use locally grown flowers to reduce the amount of fuel needed to get them to your wedding site.
• Decorate with potted plants and trees that can be replanted, or hold your wedding outdoors where flowers grow naturally so you don’t need to decorate with them.
• Serve organic and locally grown food at the reception.
• Offset carbon dioxide emissions generated during your event by donating to programs that plant trees or preserve rain forests.
• Use biodegradable plates and utensils.
• Use soy-based candles instead of petroleum-based wax.

The eco-wedding industry has spawned several websites that include tips and services for holding greener weddings and other celebrations. For more information, visit www.portovert.com.

For more information about this story, visit the New York Times.  

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org