Wedding Wednesday: Getting green, literally

While we often talk about green weddings, it dawned on me that there was an actual green element we might have been missing...plants! So today is dedicated to incorporating natural lush greens such as succulents, grass, herbs, and vines, to truly make your wedding green. 

Succulents:

These delightful green plants have roots, stems, and leaves that store water to survive long droughts. They make great favors since they require limited amounts of watering and survive for long periods of time when placed in windowsills with great light. Not to mention, they can add a great earthy green tone or even a gray-blue hue to any color pallet. 

                    
By:            Beautiful Bridal                               Heavenly Blooms                          Santa Barbara Chic

                     

Fresh Herbs:

From thyme to basil, jasmine and mint, herbs add a burst of fragrance and a rustic natural feeling to a tablescape or bouquet. Place them in a silver pot and send them home with your guests to add to their garden or incorporate into dinner next week.

             
By:                  The Wedding Dish                                                               Aislinn Events 

                                  
                                                                        Kate Miller Events

Grass:

While outdoor events will naturally have a grass element incorporated, there are other fun ways to use earth's natural blanket. 

                   
By:        Wedding and Cakes                        Simple Perfect Weddings                    Wedding Bee

Happy Greening!

      

Eco-Monday: Paint the Halls

An easy way to add an eco-friendly element to your house is through paint. When it's time to add a new coat to the kitchen or transform that upstairs bathroom, consider using eco-friendly paint. Average paints contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are often emitted as gases. These chemicals are not healthy for the environment of your house or the environment as a whole. Instead, purchase paints that are approved by the Green Seal Standards. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to improving the environmental standards for many common products. Milk paint is a great alternative because it does not emit VOCs and works well as an interior paint for your house. Any eco-friendly paint uses water as a base instead of a petrochemical base and come in cans composed of 100% recyclable metals. 

Three paints to consider buying are:

1. Benjamin Moore Aura - specifically the GreenGuard

2. Olympic Premium - the Green Seal 

3. Sherwin-Williams Harmony

                               

Eco-Monday: A Green Wedding

As a local to the Annapolis area, I had visited the Phillip Merrill Environmental Center many times on field trips and for several research projects. However, it was not until recently that I discovered they also hosted gorgeous water front weddings and boasted the title of "one of the world's most energy-efficient buildings." 

Opening in 2001, this building hosts the headquarters for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF). This foundation is dedicated to protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay as well as educating people of all ages about their role in Bay conservation. The unique location of this building, situated right between Black Walnut Creek and the Bay, really emphasized the need for an eco-friendly establishment. First, the CBF created several unique structures on the premises that have aided in waterlife restoration. Man made wetlands allow storm water to pass through a natural treatment center before running off into the Bay. They have also planted many native plants, such as underwater grasses and trees in order to restore habitats for animals that may have been misplaced by housing developments.  

As far as the building goes, almost all of the materials used are recycled and renewable. Cork is the largest used material throughout the building as it makes up the wall panels and flooring. Bamboo was used for all the stairs as well as the main lobby flooring. Huge cisterns placed on the roof capture rain water and redistribute it throughout the building for everyday water needs. The toilets don't use water and instead boast a composting system that eliminates the amount of sewage being processed which in turn cuts down on nutrient pollution. 

Now, the icing on the cake, they do weddings! With their dedication to saving the Bay, the venue is surrounded by "acres of unspoiled beauty." Seeing as the venue is placed right on the beachfront, the amount of natural lighting and breathtaking bay views are unbeatable. For your guests, the venue is just minutes from historic downtown Annapolis, and yet has a great secluded feel that makes your wedding intimate and unique. With a list of great preferred vendors, such as Main Ingredient for catering, Ego Media for photography, and The Gateway Florist for flowers, your event will have everything it needs to be successful! 

Eco-Monday: Combining Social Media and Energy Efficiency

During the Sweetlife Festival last year we were given the pleasure of working with OPower. 

This Arlington based company is dedicated to improving the relationships individuals have with their appliances and ultimately aims to decrease the amount of energy and money spent on bills. Recently, I came across a press release that featured OPower's newest development which will combine the use of Facebook and has gained the support of the Natural Resources Defense Council. 

This new app, due to launch at the beginning of next year, is designed so that consumers can keep track of their own power consumption. The inclusion of Facebook allows consumers to compare their energy use online with their friends as well as compete virtually with others to maintain the lowest energy costs. The Natural Resources Defense Council feels confident that by using social-media, people will be less likely to keep their energy use information private and thereby they would become more aware of exactly how they are using their energy. 


The users of this app will be able to compare their energy usage with users from around the nation as well as share tips and ideas about how to cut energy costs and be more eco-friendly. The idea stems from OPower's love for grassroots movements whereby the consumers have the power to influence and change the world around them. Quoted from an article on Earth Easy, "When we feel powerless as individuals to effect any significant change in the face of global threats such as climate change, it's understandable that we ignore or find ways to dismiss the threat. With this new energy-saving application, users can see how their efforts count."

Eventful Wednesday: CityDance Ensemble goes Green

Recently we were given the inside scoop on CityDance Ensemble's newest development, which we are excited to say has a green twist! In partnership with the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County as well as the Music Center at the Strathmore, CityDance Ensemble will be transforming a current dance studio into a state-of-the-art dance theater named BlackBox Theater. This theater is not only unique because it is the first environmentally friendly theater in the DC area, but also because CityDance has formed a partnership with Christopher K. Morgan and Artists to create their first Resident Dance Company.  

1. The entire electrical needs of the BlackBox Theater will be powered by solar energy. In using these solar panels, any surplus electricity that may be generated is instantly returned to the power grid and therefore reduces the overall carbon footprint. 

2. The lighting of the entire theater will utilize LED and High-intensity Discharge (HID) lamps. These HID lamps are unique in that they make more "visible light per unit of electric power cosumed".  

3. The production team has partnered with MechoSystems to bring in a unique shading system that makes a bold commitment to protecting the environment. This system will increase overall energy efficiency by filtering sunlight to decrease the gain of solar heat in the space. By lowering the heat brought into the space, BlackBox Theater can cut their cooling costs and eliminate a decrease the overall carbon footprint.  

Eco-Mondays ~ Show some LOVE @ Earth-List.com & GoGreenPress.net

Happy Eco-Monday everyone, and Happy Valentines Day!  Today we'd like to show some Eco-love to our favorite online green resource - Earth-list.com.  Earth-list.com was founded in 2008 by our good friend Mike D'Ascanio, and it has quickly become the world's premier informational resource for all things GREEN!  They are on a mission to unite the Green Movement by providing the most centralized resource on the practices of sustainability and going green. Their goal is to make Going Green easy for the average person by providing the most comprehensive list of late breaking Eco news, media, products, services, and information.  And that's exactly what they've done. Anything and Everything you could possibly need to live green can be found at Earth-List.com.      

And as if running one website wasn't enough, they've recently launched the newest member of the Earth-List family - GoGreenPress.net.  GoGreen Press  is the perfect media solution to help your Green business get publicity. They specialize in breaking the news on Green businesses, offering specialized press writing and distribution services that will get your Green business highly effective and targeted publicity.  And we can personally testify to the quality of their services...GoGreen Press just did a press release for Green with Envy Events about our upcoming event, Where the Wild Things Are, a Food & Wine Celebration benefiting the Chula Vista Nature Center.  Check it out here.

And you may have seen these guys out and about in the community.  Our favorite Eco-Celebrities - Green Man and Blue Man.  Leveraging their universal appeal for good, Green Man and Blue Man are being put to work as the headlining mascots for Earth-List.com to raise awareness of sustainability, recycling, environmental responsibility, and everything related to Going Green.  Green Man has become so popular, that Earth-list has recently launched the Green Man Shop where you can shop for hundreds of your favorite Eco-Products.  I encourage everyone to stop in and check out their amazing selection - think of it as your very own Eco-Amazon.com. 

For all of you out there who are just beginning your journey of going green or who are already living it - Earth-List.com is one of the best resources on the web to guide you to Green enlightenment.  Green with Envy Events is proud to work with the Earth-List family!  We thank you for all your hard work and for helping us stay green!

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Are you the next "Green It Girl"?

Could you be the next "Green It Girl"? Could I?

Well if you don't already know...you need to know about Project Green Search! In their second year, Project Green Search is looking for the next "Green It Girl". Project Green Search is an annual campaign to inspire people to align their careers with their environmental, social, and humanitarian ethics. The competition highlights the brightest personalities interested in a career as an eco-minded model, spokesperson, actor or host, serving as a conduit to connect mission driven talent with sustainable businesses, organizations and entertainment.

Do you have what it takes? They are looking for the woman who wants to take a stand, get noticed, and align her career endeavors with her personal beliefs, to be an advocate for the environment, animal welfare, fair trade, and human rights. She's a model, spokesperson, host, brand ambassador and all around green model citizen for progressive, sustainable, ethical companies, from fashion & beauty to cars & computers.

Season One was a huge success, encouraging Green Women everywhere to stand up and speak out. Check out this dynamic group of 10 finalists! These women are beautiful inside and out...and they're all winners in my mind!

And congratulations to the Season One winner, and fellow Green Girl Guru @ The Green Girls - Rachel Avalon. Rachel is an expert in holistic nutrition, detoxification and eco-living. Through her private sessions, published articles, lectures, local and national shows, and now as the 2009 Project Green Search Winner & Activist, Rachel is raising awareness for sustainability, animal welfare, and social justice everywhere! To learn more about Rachel, visit her website or read her biography and interview at Project Green Search.

The Season 2 Project Green Search entry period, OPEN NOW, ends at midnight on December 31, 2010. Public voting will begin on January 3rd, 2011 and close at midnight on January 10th, 2011. Judges will weigh in on the vote and then 10 finalists will be announced on Monday, January 17th. The finals will take place is Los Angeles, where the finalists will participate in a series of challenges related to developing a career as a model, host, or spokesperson in the sustainable living sphere. And, the winner will receive an amazing prize package, including model/talent agency representation, shopping sprees, beauty make-over, cooking classes, eco-living library of books, professional photography, and tons of features! And...the package is continuing to grow!!! View all the contest details here.

This is a huge opportunity for us Green Women to speak up, get involved, and work together to spread the Green word. I commend Project Green Search for creating such an important contest. Mr. Trump got it all wrong...this is THE REAL MISS AMERICA!!!

Good Luck ladies!!!!

My Big Fat Green Wedding: Favors

The wedding day is fast approaching and as we all know by now, we have a pretty resourceful bride on our hands. Most aspects of the wedding incorporate a green or sustainable element (from the venue and locally sourced food/produce to the bride's gown), so of course the favors for the guests were to be no exception.

As a token of their appreciation, the bride and groom have chosen to come full circle with their favor creation. Since the actual ceremony and luncheon will be an intimate affair, in lieu of the traditional flower boutonnieres, the couple chose to present the men attendees with a Beer Buttonaire, made by the bride herself with so much love and care.

The women will also receive special Beerings, crafted with the same design on the watercolor invitations; images of beautiful yellow and green California Poppies that embody the spirit of Big Sur.

Guests will also receive a foot soak to ease the pain after many hours of dancing. Unbleached muslin bags, purchased from Save on Crafts, will be filled with a scented, organic chamomile and Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, a perfect blend to toss into the tub to end the day at this beautiful resort and spa.

As we know from this previous post, the bride creates these Beerings to not only save bottle caps, but also as an additional way to give back and create awareness. If you want to make a difference, other creative Beering designs can be purchased at Beerings for Change.

Have a great week. xoxo, Laura

Beer(ings) Give Back!

Our bride, Janine, from our My Big Fat Green Wedding Series, is a true conservationist. She really strives to be as environmentally friendly and socially responsible as possible, in every aspect of her life (traits that I find quite admirable). She's the founder of Green Wave, which serves to create several initiatives of eco-awareness and collaborates with other charities aimed towards making our earth a better place. So it came to no surprise, when she also came up with this new idea.

After many nights spent on the road with her fiance, Ken, from The Crystal Method, and seeing just how much beer is consumed by the roadies, she decided to come up with a solution to minimize what waste she could. So, she came up with the genuis idea to take the bottle caps from consumed beer bottles (rather than tossing them in the garbage, as they cannot be recyled), and started creating Beerings with them! The one-of-a-kind designs, cut out from vintage magazines and calendars are handmade and sealed with a non-toxic, eco-polyurethane. What a genuis idea, repurposing at it's very best. And the best part, she sells them for only $20/pair, with the proceeds benefititng conservation projects.

Each purchase of Beerings goes back to different GreenWave Programs; Save a Turtle, Buy a Brick or the Save an Acre Initiative. The Save a Turtle benefits Green Wave's eco-scholarships and turtle conservation project in Costa Rica. The Buy a Brick campaign benefits green building developments & schools. The current project is an eco-friendly children's sanctuary in Kenya, in collaboration with NextAid. The Save an Acre aids in Amazonian rainforest conservation, working with the Rainforest Alliance Network and Conservation International.

The styles are all so unique and different, yet all have that nature, beachy, earthy inspiration.

Love, love, love.

I think it's great when someone finds unique ways to repurporse the most odd objects. It goes to show that with a little imagination, anything is possible. To purchase your pair of Beerings, please visit http://www.beeringsforchange.com/

Have a great week :-) Laura

A Def Leppard Green Wedding

Def Leppard Goes Green!

Yes, you heard me correct. On Friday, July 16, 2010, Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen wed costume designer Helen Simmons in Eco-friendly fashion! Taking place at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida...this wedding naturally evolved into an Eco-friendly celebration! "We didn't intentionally start out trying to have green wedding," Collen told People magazine, "But since it's a natural part of our lifestyle to respect the environment, everything flowed pretty naturally."

Left photo via Ash Newell ~ Right photo via Kerika Fields Photo

Article via Tinder

The rocker and his ladylove opted out of sending paper invitations, and invited their guests via email. And Collen has been a Vegan for 27 years, so they featured an all organic, vegetarian and vegan menu. Yum!!!

The gorgeous bride wore the Nomsa (Faith) Dress from Eco-friendly wedding gown designer Adele Wechsler’s Hello Africa collection. The Hello Africa Collection incorporates beading done by Zulu women who would otherwise be unemployed and are paid Fair Trade wages.

Adele Wechsler designs her stunning gowns for "the bride who cares about the world in which she lives". This mantra inspired her to create the ECO COUTURE collection, a collection with an Eco-conscience. By infusing elements like organic hemp and silk, vegetable dyes, remnant fabrics, and hand cut designs, Wechsler is able to offer brides an Eco-friendly option with all the luxury of a couture gown.

It gives me such joy to hear about any Green Wedding, but especially celebrities who can use their fame to set a responsible example to newly-engaged couples all over the world. Making simple choices during the planning of your wedding can make the biggest difference!

If you are getting married, or know someone who is...please encourage them to make Eco-conscience choices while planning their wedding. With all of the resources available today, Weddings can be Eco-friendly without losing any style or elegance.

Green with Envy Events says Congratulations to Phil ♥ Helen...and THANK YOU for going green!

What will you Register for?

Today I'm very excited to share with you a new way to setup your wedding registry with The Green Bride Guide. Their brand new registry system offers hundreds of products for you to choose from...and the best part - They are all GREEN! This dynamic, one-stop shop allows you to furnish your new life with 100% Earth-friendly items! And unlike other registries out there...this site features a variety of different brands, it's easy to use, and they offer FREE carbon neutral shipping! When you enter the shop you have four different ways to shop:

1. By Category
2. By Color
3. By Certification
4. By Eco-Strategy

Each product gives you a full description of the item, as well as an explanation on how the product was made and why it's Eco-friendly. You can even read reviews by other shoppers!

The Green Bride Guides definition of Green Products are products that are made from environmentally friendly materials or use production processes that reduce the impact on the environment. I am certain you will be pleasantly surprised at how many options they have. You won't need to set up any other registries...The Green Bride Guide has got you covered! Take a look at just a few of the amazing Green items you can register for:

For the Bedroom

For the Bathroom

For the Kitchen

For Entertaining

For the Home

For your Pets

For all you jet-setters out there, The Green Bride Guide now offers custom designed Green Honeymoons through Elevate Destinations, a boutique travel company that specializes in high-quality, philanthropic and Eco-friendly tourism. Being a “responsive honeymooner” does not mean you have to give up style or comfort. All of their green honeymoons include environmentally responsible and luxurious amenities. Aesthetics, amenities, service, and security are never compromised. Enjoy gorgeous Eco-friendly lodging, delicious regional cuisine and comfortable travel accommodations everywhere you go. Your wedding guests will be elated knowing they gave you exactly what you wanted from your honeymoon registry list.

And if giving back is more your style, use the Green Bride Guide's partner - I Do Foundation to set up your charity gift registries! This will ensure that every dollar spent on your wedding gives back. You can use their site to set up registries with stores like Target, REI and Cooking.com - where up to 10% of every purchase will support a worthy cause. You can also use their site to create a charity registry, so guests can give donations in your honor in lieu of gifts. These options are easy win-wins and make a huge difference!

The Green Bride Guide is on online resource for anything and everything you could ever need to plan a Green Wedding! Visit their website to find vendors, tips, planning tools and of course...your Green Wedding Registry! Let the shopping begin!

Have a great weekend everyone! xoCarlee