Things That Make You Go Green

Weddings must be one of the most eco-unfriendly activities we plan in our lives. I’m going through the process right now, and I have to say I get a bit nauseous when I think about the amount of pollution and carbon we are contributing. Here is a list of eco-unfriendly things we’ll be (are) doing to the planet:

• Driving around visiting and shopping vendors
• Killing huge amounts of flowers with our arrangements, bouquets, etc.
• Having guests drive and fly from hundreds and thousands of miles away
• Renting tuxedoes will which likely be cleaned with eco-unfriendly chemicals
• Creating and sending invitations, programs, and schedules – with the use of a heavier card stock, I can’t imagine the amount of paper we’re really using, let alone the added weight / gas used
• Hair – I don’t know much about hair, but the massive amounts of chemicals and hair products can’t be good
• Wedding favors – those often worthless items you get at a wedding reception that people throw away the next day

Would simply buying carbon offsets help? Would this be a mere front to ease my guilt now that I think about the environmental impact my wedding is having?

Some of the items may have simple solutions. For example, we can forgo flowers… although I’m sure that idea won’t fly with the other side. We can cut down on the guest list, which we did significantly. We can do without programs, which I’m pushing for. We can do something different with wedding favors such as make a donation or simplify them into something people will use / consume. The hotel some guests are staying at offers transportation to and from the hotel, which I hope will help a tad. Any other ideas on how weddings and other large events can be more eco-friendly?