livin’ the green life and planning a green wedding

There are a lot of people who like the idea of  living a “greener” life, but living eco-friendly (or earth-friendly) isn’t always the easiest, more convenient, or less expensive way of life. Rich and I have been learning this over the past couple of years. Instead of going all out green, we’ve had to ease into it….and we still have a lot of “easing” to do! But, we really believe in it. We were talking last night about how we take way to many things for granted. The conversation started with how we take each other for granted, but then I started thinking about ALL of the things I take for granted, and I was ashamed, to say the least. We, as a general population, don’t repsect the earth and its resources as we should. Really, we abuse it. And sadly, most of us can’t be bothered to care. In the end, not only do we harm the earth, but we harm ourselves too.

So, consider this the first installment in a series on “greening” up your life, and more specifically, Green Weddings!! I thought I would begin by sharing how Rich and I try to live a bit greener in our personal lives. In preparation, I gave myself an assignment! I made a list of all the ways Rich and I live earth-friendly, and then I phogographed some of the more tangible things.

The biggest thing we do is buy primarily organic foods. By doing so, not only are we supporting those who don’t spread harmful chemicals around or inject animals with needless drugs, but we are supporting our own health too! I do all of my own grocery shopping, but if I didn’t, I would use Greenling, a company that delivers local, organic foods right to your door! We are also careful about the cleaning agents we use. Rather than using harsh chemicals, we go the natural route. Seventh Generation is a brand of products that we really like, and they have everything!! Another brand we use is Method. Though both of these earth-conscience companies make fabulous products, what I REALLY want to do is start making my own cleaners. I actually think it would be fun! So if anyone has some good “recipes” for detergents or other cleaners, send then my way!!

Something that I really LOVE doing is using reusable bags when I shop. There are so many benefits to using these bags! Many of them are made from recycled products (such as water bottles), I don’t have mounds of plastic bags taking over my home, they are stronger and hold about twice what a plastic grocery store bag will hold, and I get to carry fun, cute bags when I shop! My favorites are from Whole Foods Market and Central Market. Every time they come out with a new design, I want it! But I don’t limit myself to using these only when I’m grocery shopping. I use them for everything!

Rich and I also love clothes and shoes made from earth-friendly and/or recycled products. Clothing (and even sheets and towels) made from bamboo is phenomenal!! It is extremely soft and comfortable, and even better, it is made from a renewable resource!! Organic cotton is another material we love. You can find some great clothing at Whole Foods Market (they have a clothing aisle!), Whole Earth Provision (Texas stores only) or online at Gaiam and The Green Loop. Great shoes made from recycled materials can be had from Rafters and Terra Plana. Something else to consider is the factories that produce your clothing (or anything else you buy). The type of material used is only a part of the equation. What kind of energy do companies use to make the things you purchase? There are some businesses that rely on wind or solar energy, an abundant resource most don’t take advantage of. Also, do they do things to preserve the environment around them, or do they continuously harm it? These are not factors I usually consider when I make a purchase, but I’m going to make a more conscience effort to pay attention to these things.

Finally, Rich and I have shared a single car for two years. Has it been hard and inconvenient? Heck yeah! But, we realized that we didn’t really NEED two cars, and that the benefits might outweigh the inconveniences. So, we sold my little Toyota Corolla and kept the Honda Accord. The benefits, you might ask? Well, we save on gas, maintenance, and car insurance! We are also contributing less pollutants to the air. Oh, and our Honda has some sort of gadget (no idea what it is exactly) that allows us to use Ethanol (E85), a corn-based alternative to gasoline, which is a renewable resource, biodegradable, low in toxicity, and causes little environmental pollution as it burns. But the jury is out on whether we get the same gas-mileage using E85.

While we would never win the Mr. and Mrs. Green Award, we do try to do our part. Things that we still need to do include recycling on a consistent basis, buying and using a rain barrel and composting bin, and harvesting wind and solar energy for our own use at home. Some of these things will simply take time (and money!), but they have a firm place on the must-do list.

Feel free to share any new ways/ideas you implement green living in your own life. I’m always up for suggestions! And keep your eyes open as I begin discussing how to plan and execute a Green Wedding. Right now my plan is to discuss the dress, the rings, the invitations, the favors, the cake/food, and the decorations. Is there anything else you’d like to hear about? If so, let me know and I’ll research it!