Hottest Trends in Weddings--Eco Consciousness Rings A Bell

Take 2.5 million US weddings a year, add half a million commitment ceremonies and multiply it by an average of 150 guests at each event, and you end up with overflowing landfills and toxins soaking into the water supply, our skin, and Mother Earth.

While celebrating your love isn’t supposed to be a downer about the death of the planet, weddings tend to be about stuff—single use, chemically bleached dresses, toxic makeup, rolls and rolls of gift wrap, gem-based jewelry, chemically treated, imported flowers, and lots of garbage. This may be why green weddings made #5 in the global nuptials hottest trends list. Trend #1 is announcing your engagement on Facebook— also eco in that it eliminates paper declarations.

Green wedding planner, Kate Harrison explains, “If every wedding this year used a disposable aisle runner and the runners were laid end –to-end, they would circle the globe twice! Similarly, the amount of paper used to make invitations could cover the island of Manhattan.”

Throwing an earth-friendly ceremony doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style or freak-out your friends with lectures about recycling. You can gently increase people’s awareness with your show of love for one another and the planet with earth and money-saving practices at a celebration that doesn’t poison the planet. Take these simple ideas:

• Clue guests in early to your eco-approach with a page in your program or website highlighting some of the green choices you made and mention choices they can make to green their travel and gifts.
  Example about a wedding menu, “Our menu will offer mostly vegetarian choices. Raising cattle uses much more energy than growing vegetables. And, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), chemical and animal waste runoff from factory farms is responsible for more than 173,000 miles of polluted rivers and streams. Runoff from farmlands is one of the greatest threats to water quality today. Agricultural activities that cause pollution include confined animal facilities, plowing, pesticide spraying, irrigation, fertilizing and harvesting.
  
• Invitations, place and note cards not only generate tons of trash—the production of paper creates air and water pollution. Try plantable paper and envelopes implanted with wildflower seeds, you buy the paper from a company like Botanical Paperworks and print your own invites. Or order from Plantable Seed Paper which makes paper for you with your own choice of seeds—from trees to herbs or flowers.

Engagement Rings and Jewelry. Gold mining is one of the dirtiest businesses on the planet. Production of just one ring creates 20 tons of mine waste and the battle over diamonds has left over 50,000 dead, half a million refugees, and a thousand amputees. In addition to the human cost, mining creates erosion and flooding. Make a big difference with these choices:

• Buy a previously owned ring from eBay or a reputable consignment shop like Saddlerock Barn in Sedona. Owner, Mary Ann Johnson has these tips for easy eco, “The trend in jewelry sales is for estate and vintage wedding sets. Our customers buy old rings and have the stones reset. A new diamond ring costs about $4,600. With a vintage ring you know you are not contributing to pollution or violence, and you spend around $2,000.”


• Sumiche Jewelry Co. is the only company in the U.S. using Certified Green Gold and Platinum. Their handcrafted jewelry is created from Certified Fair Trade/Eco-Gold and Platinum. All diamonds are certified Conflict Free.

Choose vendors who make an effort to go green. Go with local or organic food catered at a green certified venues like Smog Shoppe—LA’s first completely green event space—100% solar powered. Even music can go green, take Bamboo Beats in Seattle, WA, these DJs use only MP3 files—no CDs—plus they drive to and from gigs in a hybrid, and only print in-house on recycled materials with an Energy Star® rated printer. Other eco-tactics:

• Save money and trash. Photographers can be expensive and if every wedding in the US had 10 disposable cameras, that puts 25 million cameras a year in landfills. Who needs more plastic when there are good alternatives like renting fully insured, digital cameras? Let your guests take quality photos and lighten up the landfill load. Camera Renter ships digital cameras to you and when you return the cameras the photos post to a website so you can share pictures with your guests.


• Save money, book offseason—Sedona makes a good choice with close to 300 days of sunshine a year your wedding can be outside almost anytime except July and August.


• Smaller footprint, bigger rooms, lower bill at check out. Choose lodging for guests or your honeymoon at eco-conscious vacation rental homes like those at EcoLuxury Lodging or a green B&B.


• Choose recycled dresses instead of buying new. Wedding and bridesmaid gowns can use up to 16 yards of fabrics made from petroleum products, bleached with toxic chemicals, and shipped from China. The average cost of a new wedding dress is $1,300, a previously worn gown averages just $200 and no new resources were used to create it.


• Donate gowns after the wedding to The Cinderella Project or The Glass Slipper Project.


• Slow down conspicuous consumption. Let guests know you’re comfortable with reused, re-gifted items on your wish list.

This blog is for bottom-up dispensers of cool who enjoy healthy living. We feel that "the small, the slow, the local, and the personal" will build the new economy. Your comments will help enrich this information for all of us. Please share your tips and experience.

Love Is In The Air--St. Augustine Eco Weddings

Romance blooms in the Old City of St. Augustine this time of year--it seems there are weddings everywhere. "Green" is one of the hottest trends in weddings, with many guests renting eco vacation rental homes in the area instead of big box timeshares, hotels, or B&Bs. While St. Augustine B&Bs remain a popular choice with the over-50 crowd, younger members of the wedding often want to enjoy more privacy.

Honeymooner, Ali Munroe says she chose our vacation rental because, "My husband didn't like that we could hear other guests through the walls when we stayed in a B&B. We're also not chatty people at breakfast."

Next Post: Scattering Joy--Green Wedding Tips
Last Post: Snake In The Grass

Photograph by pinhole photographer Sheila Bocchine http://www.flickr.com/photos/daisyjellybean/

Love Bugs

Happy Valentines Day!
Photos by Fran Palmeri at comcast dot net.

This blog is for bottom-up dispensers of cool who enjoy eco-travel deals and healthy living. We feel that "the small, the slow, the local, and the personal" will build the new economy. Your comments will help enrich this information for all of us.

Green Gifts for Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day, we're making green gift giving easier—and helping you save money too. Our Green Gift Guide features special offers from businesses listed in the National Green Pages™. So this year, show you care by giving gifts from businesses that support people and the planet. And spread the love by forwarding this email to a friend. Autonomie Project Fair Trade Eco Friendly sneakers, tees, and accesories Brilliant Earth 10% off Silver Pendandts with promotion code CABNXG exp 2- 28-09 Divine Chocolate Fair Trade Divine makes Valentines sweet for you and cocoa farmers, Endangered Species Chocolate Recycled Valentine cards and natural chocolate treats – 15% off with code coop 15 Equal Exchange 10% off Equal Exchange Chocolate. Use code vday09 at checkout Gaiam Gift Green this Valentine’s Day! Free Shipping on purchases $35 or more with code VALEN. Global Exchange Fair Trade Online Store Fair Trade Eco-friendly gifts Take $10 Off $50+ orders with coupon code coopvalentine09 Grandpa Po's Originals The crunchy organic popcorn snack with soubeans. "Snack of the Day" on Racheal Ray Green America Gift Memberships to Green America--One Year for $15 Dollars or less Kates Caring Gifts 20% Discount - Earth Friendly Gifts for All, Treats for you. Make Piece-Peace, Inc. Nonprofit MakePiece teaches jewelrymaking entrepreneurship, helping low-income women earn living wages using their new skills. Nubius Organics Gift Sustainably! Save 15% on Eco-Conscious gifts for everyone on your list. Coupon Code ECO15 Organic Bouquet Send your loved ones the finest eco-friendly roses and Organic Bouquet will add a FREE vase plus donate 10% of your purchase to Co-op America Peaceful Company Fashioning Peace One Person at a time. Enjoy this coupon code "peace2all" for a 10% Discount Shaman Chocolates Enjoy The Food of the Goods. All Profits Help Support Huichol Indians. Organic. Fair Trade.Gourmet Sustainable Harvest FREE CHOCOLATE SAUCE with donation to help Central American families plant cacao The One Eyed Turtle 20% off all products including sale items, Use Code COPA208 Wedge Worldwide Show your sweetie your Fair Trade side. From the Wedge Co-op in Minneapolis. Zheny's Gypsy Tea Drink Pink for berry good health! Introducing new SUPERBERRY TEA for Women

Vacation Rental Travel Deals ~ Free Stuff, Super Bowl and More

2009 Red Hot Rate Specials for FREE stuff. Going toxin-free, plastic-free, oil-free, and smoke-free can get you rent free, jeep rides, workshops along with good health in 2009 when you enter our health promotions. Subscribe to this blog by email or RSS feed so you don't miss the offers like the ones below for smokers, women and Super Bowl fans.

Give Yourself the Gift of Health and be our guest. Win a 3-Day Weekend Sedona, Arizona or St. Augustine, Florida. If you quit smoking for New Years or plan to quit in 2009, you could stay for free in one of our healthy vacation homes. We're running promotions this year to encourage people to get healthier, starting with a promotion to support those kicking cigs or whatever you smoke.

Don't smoke? Forward this to a friend who does and get them to take you on the vacation when they quit.

To enter, just write to Dana and tell us two things, 1. What you plan to do to replace the cigarettes (chew gum, call your coach, take a walk) and 2. Why you want quit. If you make it smoke-free for 90 days, you can stay for free at the waterfront treehouse or Red Rocks Retreat in Sedona. Taxes and cleaning not included, based on availability. Entries will be posted on the blog, so let us know if you want your name included or not.

When you quit smoking:

• In 20 minutes your blood pressure will improve.


• In 8 hours the toxic gasses drop by half and oxygen levels return to normal.


• In 48 hours your risk of heart attack drops, nicotine will have left your body and your sense of taste and smell returns.


• In 72 hours your broncial tubes relax and your energy will increase.


• In three to nine months you can win a vacation and your coughing and wheezing problems will go away.

The Gift of Shift, FREE for two women. Two scholarships available to the Sedona Women in Transition Retreat, Jan 31-Feb 1. Scholarship not based on need but on willingness to "pay it forward." $899 fee paid by sponsor. Email Dana for details. $25 registration fee required.

Super Bowl Savings! St. Pete, FL vacation home rental, $333 a night. Smoke free, pet free cottage sleeps four. Email dedeskye at msn.com for details. Minimum stay required.

Dana's Top Five Travel Ooohs and Aaahs

1. Don’t Go There, Top 10 Worst Travel Spots
2. Global Lost and Found, ever leave behind a phone, laptop, or MP#? This service helps you retrieve your electronics, a must have for world travelers.
3. Moon Struck, photo blog by Paul Rutowski (the striking photo above).
4. No more bottled water. Hyatt switched to filtered water in their restaurants.
5. First Tracks for Skiing! Taos goes green with 100% renewable electricity sources and more.

Top Five for Greening Your Holidays

Reminder: I do guilt-free. You already have enough on your plate this season with money being tight and all the extra socializing without me preaching to you about greening your Christmas. These are just a few things to make you feel good and maybe do a little good for the environment, but only as the icing on the cake.

1. ReGift. See why the second time around can really be the charm. Click this to read the article.

2. Sing. It changes your brain chemistry in healthy ways so you can make good decisions about protecting your health and the planet’s. Click here to listen to the Gnostic Choir singing songs to connect us.

3. Focus. Forget multitasking, it creates mistakes. Click here to read the article.

4. Get Real. A real tree, that is, from a local tree farmer. Skip the toxins in artificial trees or trees shipped from out of state and sprayed with harmful paint. Check my December blog post for details.

5. Put Some Green In Your Pocket. And save energy at the same time with the new tax credits that go into effect January 2009. Click here to read the article.

New Electronics and Computers for the Holidays: What to do with the old ones

New stuff under the tree can mean old stuff in the landfill. Electronics and computers contain hazardous materials. If you replace old equipment with new ones this holiday, why not consider these recycling options?

Recycling Kit from Think Green From Home. Simply fill the box they send to you and return, they take care of the rest. They also take CFLs.

EPAs ecycling tips and links.

Ten Tips for Donating a Computer.

Ideas for recycling phones, iPods, TVs at Yahoo Green.

Apple, Best Buy, Circuit City, Office Depot, and Staples all have e-waste recycling programs for items bought at their stores. Details vary, so check the retailer's website or call customer service before you bring in a pile of junk.

Conscious Holiday Consumer: Real or Fake Christmas Tree?

Is it more responsible to buy an artificial tree you can reuse again and again or to chop down a tree for Christmas?

Last year, I bought a tree and planted it. But there is no more room for planting trees in my area, so this year, I was "stumped" ho-ho, about what to do for a Christmas tree. I went looking for answers that matched my concerns for the environment and my family's health. What I found surprised me.

I discovered most artificial trees on the market were made in China and contain lead and can out-gas hazardous chemicals into the air. Given that indoor air is likely to be two times more polluted than outdoor air, I figured why add to that risk?

I also learned that I'm not really taking a tree out of the forest when I buy a cut tree. US farmers grow Christmas trees as a crop, replanting the trees every year. No forest is cut down. If I find a tree that isn't sprayed with green spray paint (yes, they do that to make it more uniform in color) or sprayed with fire retardant, I can avoid exposing my family to more toxins. And if I chip the tree up after Christmas for mulch or reuse it in another way, a cut tree is my greenest choice.

In our guest homes, we don't put up religious or secular decorations out of respect for the many cultural backgrounds of our guests. You will find festive lights twinkling and a box of decorations made of natural materials for guests who will celebrate solistice or Christmas. The box includes a sparkly tree made of repurposed wire and crystals that don't out-gas. Now I can start worrying about whether or not the wire has lead in it...

Fall in Love with St. Augustine: Autumn in the Old City

Sometimes the best things in life really are free--including my Florida fall favorite things to do. The summer family tourists have cleared out and so has the humidity. Temperatures, prices, and hurricane threats drop and spooks and sparkling festivities go up. Read on if you like to skip the most of the touristy, admission, military, or golf activities. They're easy to find on many other websites with ads. I focus on local flavor, fun, and free or at least a fantastic deal.

If you can only do three things, see the holiday lights, take the kayak trip, and hit the chowder taste test. Be sure to try the Minorcan Chowder entered by Hot Shot Bakery. Click here to get the recipe or sample it at the Hot Shot Bakery across the street from Casa Monica Hotel. Say hey to Sherry for me.

FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK (First Friday of Every Month 2008) - Self-guided walking tour of numerous art galleries. The cost of living is lower in St. Augustine than in many other quaint towns, so real artists can actually afford to live here. 5 PM - 9 PM Historic District

UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT - This is a locals' favorite which makes the turnout lively. The last Saturday of every month enjoy extended shopping hours, live entertainment and book signings as the quaint shops along San Marco Avenue host an evening of entertainment and socializing. Exhibits, wine, champagne, authors and music are part of the fun. San Marco Avenue, 5 - 9 PM.

LIVE MUSIC, HEALTHY FOOD at The Present Moment Cafe Friday & Saturdays at 9 PM. An eclectic mix of local music, soul to funk, bluegrass to Africa. Watch for the detour on King Street. Bring Your Own Mug for $1 Cup of Coffee.

HAUNTED ST. AUGUSTINE IS EVERYWHERE Oct. 16-31. Hayrides, ghost tour walks, trick or treat parties.

RIPLEY’S HALLOWEEN GHOST TRAIN: Not so free, but oh, so funny. Board the Ghost Train for a ride throughout the haunted streets of old St. Augustine. There are stops along the way where tales are told and guests can photograph orbs and use EMF meters to identify the presence of spirits or something gassy? Tours begin from Ripley's Believe It or Not at 7 PM. Fee: $24 for adults,$12 for children. See website for $2 off coupon.

ENCHANTED FOREST: Enjoy a magical "scare-free" walk through the enchanted forest loop at Anastasia State Park. The trees will be magnificently lit with sparkling lights for a scare-free walking loop filled with charming scenes. All proceeds benefit the non-profit Friends of Anastasia State Park. Enchanted Forest is located at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. For more information call 904-814-2113.

Indians of the Estuary Kayak Tour in St Augustine - (Oct 21) Come along on a leisurely paddle through one of Northeast Florida's most beautiful landscapes and discover how the Timucuans lived and loved this land. Explore with a professional naturalist/kayak guide and enjoy stories about the important role the Matanzas Estuary played in their everyday lives. Tour fee is $60 per person, includes all needed kayaking equipment, kayaking instruction, park entrance fees, catered lunch and bottled water. For info, contact Coastal Outdoor Center

28TH ANNUAL LINCOLNVILLE FESTIVAL - (Nov 2-4) Lincolnville is one of St. Augustine’s oldest neighborhoods with more than half of its buildings dating from the late 19th century black settlement. Historic visitors included Martin Luther King. The event kicks-off on Friday with live R&B music, food, games, and arts and crafts. Free Admission. For more information call 904-669-0739

BRITISH GARRISON WEEKEND AT THE CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS (Nov 3-4) Experience what the fort was like during the British military occupation of 1763-1784. Reenactors and rangers will be dressed as British colonial soldiers as they provide historic weapon demonstrations, talks and displays. Hours: 8:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Admission: Adults $6, children 15 and under free. 904-829-6506

23nd ANNUAL GREAT CHOWDER DEBATE - (Nov 2) More than 30 area restaurants will compete to see who has the best chowder – each special entry is available for tasting with taste tickets sold for $1 each. An astounding variety of chowders will be available – from local favorites like the Menorcan chowders to an assortment of New England chowders. The event starts at noon and runs throughout the day. The Conch House Marina is located at 57 Comares Avenue. Call the Conch House for info (904) 829-8646

10th ANNUAL WINERY HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE at the San Sebastian Winery. Wine tasting, great music, hors d'oeuvres. (Nov 17-18)

ST AUGUSTINE ART AND CRAFT FESTIVAL- (Nov 29-30) This two day event features art created from lace to limestone and crayons to crystal. The City's largest juried show means this isn't just a street market with palm tree potholders. Festival takes place at Francis Field behind the St. Augustine Downtown Historic Parking Facility located on West Castillo Drive in St. Augustine. Details on the St. Augustine Art Association website.

LEGENDARY FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS (Nov 18-Jan 31) Find out why there's very little occupancy at vacation rentals and local lodging at this time of year when you see the millions of white lights outline historic St. Augustine. This holiday season, the Nights of Lights will be illuminated at a special opening event scheduled to begin on November 18 at 4:30 p.m. in the city's historic Plaza de la Constitucion. After a high-energy musical performance the lighting ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. when a single flick of a switch will bathe the St Augustine historic district in the soft glow of two million lights.

HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS NIGHTS OF LIGHTS TOUR at Old St. Augustine Village - (Nov 22-30) A storyteller in period costume will tell of holiday traditions in the Ancient City covering over 400 yeas of history. The spectacle of the lighted city will be enjoyed along the way. Old St. Augustine Village is the final destination where an entire city block of historic homes will be trimmed and decorated to reflect the holiday season. After a guided lantern light tour through the homes, refreshments served. Hours: Fridays and Saturdays 7 PM. Admission: $20 WELL WORTH IT.

Fly and Still Go Green?

Environmental groups say people need to fly less. Sites like Carbon Responsible can calculate the footprint of your trip, plus show you how long it takes to make the equivalent carbon saving by cutting down on car journeys or using low-energy light bulbs. My recent flight from Florida to Arizona has the same impact as driving a Toyota Camry for one year. What's a globe trotter to do?

Some of us use carbon offsetting to ease our conscience, avoiding, of course, the suspect services. Green gurus insist that's not enough.

If business and travel lovers like myself won't give up flying, the least we can do is ease the impact of flying in these ways:

1. Book daytime flights. Flying at night or in the winter is more environmentally damaging. The reasons are complex and to do with condensation trails trapping heat at night, but reflecting it away from the earth in the day. Researchers found that, although night flights only account for 25% of air traffic, they contribute 60% to 80% of the global warming caused by flying.

2. Travel in a lighter plane. The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, for example, is made from lightweight plastic, which supposedly makes it 20% more fuel efficient.

3. Plan side trips by rail or ferry instead of short, commuter flights.

4. Stay in green accommodations. Avoid ones that greenwash. Look for ones that do more than put out recycling bins and switched to fluorescent light bulbs. Ask specific questions about what the lodging does to conserve energy and water and minimize waste. Don't just accept that the use of the word green means they have sustainable practices. The more people who ask, the more hospitality management will listen.

"Already the word 'eco' has lost all power and meaning,' says Guyonne James, senior projects manager at Tourism Concern, a UK charity which campaigns against exploitation. 'If a bed-and-breakfast has a garden, they'll call it an eco-lodge. There has been such a proliferation of claims and green labels that as a tourist you really have no idea what's going on."

5. If you spot someone with bad practices, write a review on irresponsibletourism.info.

6. Take your habits from home on the road. Recycle, turn off lights, take public transportation, bring your own water bottle and maybe even your coffee mug. Use organic sunscreen to limit contamination at beaches and swimming holes.

For easygoing green travel tips, check this list or add your suggestions here with a comment.

Photo by Greg Lepera, St. Augustine, FL.

Tonic for the Soul--Mothering is our Nature

On Mother's Day, I wandered out on the mudflats of the river to watch a family of raccoons scamper on the shoreline. It was a tonic for my soul. Breathing in the wonder of the outdoors nurtures me. When I am low, I find solace in nature. When I am outside, I am more myself. Nature writer Diane Ackerman describes our need for the tonic, "There are noble reasons for protecting the environment...but we also need a healthy, thriving, bustling, natural world so that we can be healthy, so that we can feel whole."

Right there on the mud flats, I made a commitment to take care of myself as well as I take care of others. "Taking care of yourself is your right and your responsibility," says Vimala McClure. And it is said, she who values her body more than dominion over the empire can be given custody of the empire. I want to value my soil and sea, as much as I do the bodies of others.

And in doing so, I cannot help but wonder how much richer, cleaner, kinder the planet would be if mothers everywhere started caring for themselves in this way--nurturing the mother, the nature in us all.