These days as couples take stock of what’s really important, over the top weddings are giving way to eco-chic weddings. More and more young people are concerned about the environment and have decided that they can be eco-friendly and still have the wedding of their dreams. From the location, to the thank you’s, here’s a few thoughts to green your wedding.
Choosing to have your wedding and reception in the same place saves time and usually some money, to say nothing about the gas to get from one location to the other and the convenience for all your guests.
With the busy lives we all lead, a Save the Date announcement is a must. For many, an Evite will work, but for those you don’t have emails for, a simple Save the Date postcard is perfect.
When choosing a caterer, ask about locally grown and/or in season fruits and vegetables, and organic choices. Often times this menu is just slightly more than their non-organic menu, yet the taste difference is worth every penny. And choose 100% cotton napkins and tablecloths.
For the truly green bride, search Ebay or in consignment shops for a wedding gown you can call your own. For the groom, purchasing a dark suit that he’ll be able to wear again and again, costs not much more than a tuxedo rental he’ll wear for just the day.
For invitations, choose recycled paper or non-paper alternatives such as cotton, bamboo or hemp, and print them with soy based ink. Plus you can skip the response envelope if you ask guests to RSVP via email. Better yet, create a wedding website where guests can RSVP and you can share photos of your bridal party and family.
When selecting flowers for the bridal party, choose organically grown and if possible in-season varieties.
As your guests enter the reception area, skip the placecards and instead have a member of the wait staff locate the guest on a list.
For your tables, consider potted plants or a basket or bowl of seasonal fruit, or perhaps a few soy candles in glass holders as your centerpieces. Select organic wines and local beer where available.
In lieu of wedding favors, make a donation to an environmental organization. The Heifer Organization is one of my favorites.
At the end of the day, encourage your guests to take the centerpieces home, or donate them to a local senior residence. Ask the caterer to wrap up any leftover food and take it home or donate it to a homeless shelter!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
Have you heard?
CVS is going green -- perhaps just a shade or so, but it's a great start. They've just introduced CVS Earth Essentials and with it have joined a growing number of retailers who have discovered that green is what their consumers want, and that they don't mind paying a little extra for it.
The Earth Essentials line includes eco-friendly bowls and plates made entirely from sugarcane. They're designed to biodegrade in less than three months, plus they're fully compostable, yet they can withstand hot food up to 200°F. All in all they're perfect for traveling or other times when real dishes just aren't practical.
The Earth Essentials line also includes paper towels, napkins and toilet tissue made with post consumer recycled paper. To learn more visit cvs.com
The Earth Essentials line includes eco-friendly bowls and plates made entirely from sugarcane. They're designed to biodegrade in less than three months, plus they're fully compostable, yet they can withstand hot food up to 200°F. All in all they're perfect for traveling or other times when real dishes just aren't practical.
The Earth Essentials line also includes paper towels, napkins and toilet tissue made with post consumer recycled paper. To learn more visit cvs.com
Monday, July 20, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Food, Inc. a new documentary
I recently saw the documentary Food, Inc. This scary and eye opening film has left many looking at their food very differently and questioning the regulatory effectiveness of the FDA and USDA.
The film points how our nation's food supply is controlled by a handful of large corporations who make decisions based on the bottom line rather than on consumer health, the safety of workers, the environment, or even our farmers.
The film also has interviews with authors Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) and Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma), plus Stonyfield Farms' owner Gary Hirschberg and Polyface Farms' Joe Salatin.
As they say in the close "you'll never look at dinner the same way." And as you checkout, thanks for voting.
The film points how our nation's food supply is controlled by a handful of large corporations who make decisions based on the bottom line rather than on consumer health, the safety of workers, the environment, or even our farmers.
The film also has interviews with authors Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) and Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma), plus Stonyfield Farms' owner Gary Hirschberg and Polyface Farms' Joe Salatin.
As they say in the close "you'll never look at dinner the same way." And as you checkout, thanks for voting.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
A Company that Walks Their Talk
First company in the world to be Climate Neutral(TM)certified receives prestigious awards for environmental leadership
PLEASANTON, Calif., June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Shaklee Corporation, the leading natural nutrition company in the United States, is pleased to announce two new environmental awards for 2009 that honor the company's sustainable business practices.
In April, Breathe California presented Shaklee with the Clean Air Award for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions. And, on May 28, the company was awarded with the 2009 Acterra Business Award for Sustainability.
"Shaklee has been committed to environmental stewardship for over 50 years, and we are honored to be recognized for our efforts," says Shaklee Chairman and CEO, Roger Barnett. "Our company was created with a mission to make people and the planet healthier -- values that are more relevant now than ever before. Today, this mission remains deeply engrained in the 750,000 Shaklee Eco-Entrepreneurs(TM) around the world, guiding them as they positively impact the health of our families and planet through our sustainable business model," he adds.
Shaklee received the 2009 Business Award for Sustainability from Acterra. During Acterra's rigorous three-month judging process that involved 25 regional environmental and sustainability experts, Shaklee presented the panel with highlights from its 50 year sustainability portfolio which includes pioneering leadership in greenhouse gas emissions reductions, long term commitment to environmentally friendly products, environmental advocacy through partnerships with leading NGO's, and through community advocacy through Shaklee's 750,000 eco-entrepreneurs.
"Shaklee emerged as the winner in a field of very fine and qualified
candidates due to its exceptional achievements in each Business Environmental Awards category, the combination of which forms our top award for sustainability," says Norm Ploss, Business Environmental Awards judging team captain. "They lead in corporate environmental awareness, proving green and sustainable is a successful business model; Shaklee Corporation is a standout on all accounts."
Breathe California awarded Shaklee the 2009 Clean Air Award for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions because of Shaklee's pioneering leadership in achieving a net-zero carbon footprint. In 2000, Shaklee became the first company in the world to be Climate Neutral(TM) certified to totally offset its greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in a net-zero impact on the environment. Achieving another first, in 2007, Shaklee became the first consumer products company to offset 100% of its greenhouse gas emissions through the U.S. EPA Climate Leaders program and use 100% green power.
As part of an active and continuous environmental mission, Shaklee has celebrated the following recent sustainable accomplishments:
-- On Earth Day, April 22, 2009, California Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai, Global Ambassador of the Shaklee A Million Trees. A Million Dreams(TM) campaign, took part in a tree-planting ceremony with Shaklee CEO and Chairman Roger Barnett at Shaklee World Headquarters in Pleasanton, Calif., to commemorate the company's monumental achievement of planting 1 million trees in just 3 years.
-- The EPA Green Power Partnership named Shaklee to the EPA Top 20 Retail Partner List in 2008 to recognize the company as a top purchaser of
green power.
-- Shaklee's partnership with Millennium Promise, an organization that
prototypes ways to implement United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, facilitated direct emissions reductions by providing sustainable solar energy to electrify villages in Malawi, Africa.
-- Sales from Shaklee's best-selling Get Clean Starter kit eliminated
88 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions this year.
"Fifty years ago, Shaklee's founder defined a new market space around natural, non-polluting products. Today, environmental thinking is embedded in everything Shaklee does, from sourcing biodegradable ingredients to offsetting the greenhouse gas emissions from sales conventions," said Dan Esty, co-author of Green to Gold & Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy and Director of the Center for Business and the Environment at Yale University.
About Breathe California
Breathe California is dedicated to fighting lung disease, advocating for clean air, and advancing public health. For more than a century, Breathe California has addressed the most serious health threats of our time through grass-roots programs that empower individual, institutional, and community change for better breathing and healthier living. For information about Breathe California, the Clean Air Awards, or the award recipients, visit www.cleanairawards.org.
About Acterra
Acterra is a nonprofit organization with a 38-year history of environmental leadership and programming in and around Silicon Valley. Acterra's events, resources, and programs involve and educate individuals and communities about a broad range of environmental issues. For information about Acterra, visit www.acterra.org.
About Shaklee Corporation
Founded more than 50 years ago, Shaklee has been a leading provider of premium-quality natural nutrition products, personal care products, and environmentally friendly home care products. In 2000, Shaklee became the first company in the world to be Climate Neutral(TM) certified to totally offset its greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in a net-zero impact on the environment. With a robust product portfolio, including over 50 patents and patents pending worldwide, Shaklee has more than 750,000 Members and Distributors around the globe and operates in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, and China. For information about Shaklee, visit www.Shaklee.com.
SOURCE Shaklee Corporation
Sloane Magny, +1-212-598-4400, Ext. 179, smagny@lippetaylor.com, for Shaklee Corporation © Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved.
PLEASANTON, Calif., June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Shaklee Corporation, the leading natural nutrition company in the United States, is pleased to announce two new environmental awards for 2009 that honor the company's sustainable business practices.
In April, Breathe California presented Shaklee with the Clean Air Award for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions. And, on May 28, the company was awarded with the 2009 Acterra Business Award for Sustainability.
"Shaklee has been committed to environmental stewardship for over 50 years, and we are honored to be recognized for our efforts," says Shaklee Chairman and CEO, Roger Barnett. "Our company was created with a mission to make people and the planet healthier -- values that are more relevant now than ever before. Today, this mission remains deeply engrained in the 750,000 Shaklee Eco-Entrepreneurs(TM) around the world, guiding them as they positively impact the health of our families and planet through our sustainable business model," he adds.
Shaklee received the 2009 Business Award for Sustainability from Acterra. During Acterra's rigorous three-month judging process that involved 25 regional environmental and sustainability experts, Shaklee presented the panel with highlights from its 50 year sustainability portfolio which includes pioneering leadership in greenhouse gas emissions reductions, long term commitment to environmentally friendly products, environmental advocacy through partnerships with leading NGO's, and through community advocacy through Shaklee's 750,000 eco-entrepreneurs.
"Shaklee emerged as the winner in a field of very fine and qualified
candidates due to its exceptional achievements in each Business Environmental Awards category, the combination of which forms our top award for sustainability," says Norm Ploss, Business Environmental Awards judging team captain. "They lead in corporate environmental awareness, proving green and sustainable is a successful business model; Shaklee Corporation is a standout on all accounts."
Breathe California awarded Shaklee the 2009 Clean Air Award for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions because of Shaklee's pioneering leadership in achieving a net-zero carbon footprint. In 2000, Shaklee became the first company in the world to be Climate Neutral(TM) certified to totally offset its greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in a net-zero impact on the environment. Achieving another first, in 2007, Shaklee became the first consumer products company to offset 100% of its greenhouse gas emissions through the U.S. EPA Climate Leaders program and use 100% green power.
As part of an active and continuous environmental mission, Shaklee has celebrated the following recent sustainable accomplishments:
-- On Earth Day, April 22, 2009, California Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai, Global Ambassador of the Shaklee A Million Trees. A Million Dreams(TM) campaign, took part in a tree-planting ceremony with Shaklee CEO and Chairman Roger Barnett at Shaklee World Headquarters in Pleasanton, Calif., to commemorate the company's monumental achievement of planting 1 million trees in just 3 years.
-- The EPA Green Power Partnership named Shaklee to the EPA Top 20 Retail Partner List in 2008 to recognize the company as a top purchaser of
green power.
-- Shaklee's partnership with Millennium Promise, an organization that
prototypes ways to implement United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, facilitated direct emissions reductions by providing sustainable solar energy to electrify villages in Malawi, Africa.
-- Sales from Shaklee's best-selling Get Clean Starter kit eliminated
88 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions this year.
"Fifty years ago, Shaklee's founder defined a new market space around natural, non-polluting products. Today, environmental thinking is embedded in everything Shaklee does, from sourcing biodegradable ingredients to offsetting the greenhouse gas emissions from sales conventions," said Dan Esty, co-author of Green to Gold & Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy and Director of the Center for Business and the Environment at Yale University.
About Breathe California
Breathe California is dedicated to fighting lung disease, advocating for clean air, and advancing public health. For more than a century, Breathe California has addressed the most serious health threats of our time through grass-roots programs that empower individual, institutional, and community change for better breathing and healthier living. For information about Breathe California, the Clean Air Awards, or the award recipients, visit www.cleanairawards.org.
About Acterra
Acterra is a nonprofit organization with a 38-year history of environmental leadership and programming in and around Silicon Valley. Acterra's events, resources, and programs involve and educate individuals and communities about a broad range of environmental issues. For information about Acterra, visit www.acterra.org.
About Shaklee Corporation
Founded more than 50 years ago, Shaklee has been a leading provider of premium-quality natural nutrition products, personal care products, and environmentally friendly home care products. In 2000, Shaklee became the first company in the world to be Climate Neutral(TM) certified to totally offset its greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in a net-zero impact on the environment. With a robust product portfolio, including over 50 patents and patents pending worldwide, Shaklee has more than 750,000 Members and Distributors around the globe and operates in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, and China. For information about Shaklee, visit www.Shaklee.com.
SOURCE Shaklee Corporation
Sloane Magny, +1-212-598-4400, Ext. 179, smagny@lippetaylor.com, for Shaklee Corporation © Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
12 Years Old and he's created a Solar Cell that could revolutionize the market
A 12 year old Oregon boy is on a mission to save the world - well maybe not exactly, but his science experiment could have a dramatic impact in the green sector, and it's already won him a $25,000 scholarship from the Davidson Institute.
William Yuan, a 12-year old boy from Oregon, who has already studied nuclear fusion and nanotechnology, has designed a 3-D Nanotube Solar Cell which could revolutionize the solar power market - it absorbs 500 times more light than existing solar cells. He said the idea came to him one day and that he worked on it for nearly two years while encouraged by his middle school science teacher.
Here's a news clip on William
William Yuan, a 12-year old boy from Oregon, who has already studied nuclear fusion and nanotechnology, has designed a 3-D Nanotube Solar Cell which could revolutionize the solar power market - it absorbs 500 times more light than existing solar cells. He said the idea came to him one day and that he worked on it for nearly two years while encouraged by his middle school science teacher.
Here's a news clip on William
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Dirty Truth about Cleaning Products
Interesting segment on this mornings NBC's Today Show. Consumer reporter Sloan Barnett, author of the new book "Green Goes with Everything" was interviewed by Matt Lauer, about household cleaning products in a segment called The Dirty Truth about Cleaning Products.
In the interview, Sloan talks about what lead her to write the book, as Lauer points out that Barnetts' husband runs the largest natural nutritional company in the USA. Lauer comments that of course she wants them to go green, it's good for the family business. Barnett counters that it's the family mission to tell others about the links between cleaners and children's health and that as mothers we are running to make changes that protect our children. She points out that only 7% of the more than 3000 chemicals on the market have been fully tested, so do we really want to subject our families to chemicals unecessarily - see August 15th post.
In the interview, Sloan talks about what lead her to write the book, as Lauer points out that Barnetts' husband runs the largest natural nutritional company in the USA. Lauer comments that of course she wants them to go green, it's good for the family business. Barnett counters that it's the family mission to tell others about the links between cleaners and children's health and that as mothers we are running to make changes that protect our children. She points out that only 7% of the more than 3000 chemicals on the market have been fully tested, so do we really want to subject our families to chemicals unecessarily - see August 15th post.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Arizona man builds his own solar panel for $105.
Wow, what an inspiring story. Mike owns property in a remote area of Arizona which is perfect for his astronomy hobby, but a little less so since there's no electricity there! Wanting a few 21st century conveniences, Mike built his own solar panel using parts he bought on E-bay and a few items from his local hardware store -- and he did it for $105!
You can read a bit more on his story, and find complete directions at How I built an electricity producing solar panel
While you're on Mike's site, click the link to see the wind turbine Mike built for only $141 - he's got complete directions for that as well.
You can read a bit more on his story, and find complete directions at How I built an electricity producing solar panel
While you're on Mike's site, click the link to see the wind turbine Mike built for only $141 - he's got complete directions for that as well.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Do you know your "Body Burden" score?
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has alerted us to our "Body Burden." By testing the blood of adults and babies, the EWG was able to see just how polluted our bodies are -- and the numbers are not pretty. Even the blood of the new-born babies had an amazing array of chemicals.
The products we use and are exposed to every day are loaded with chemicals. Think skin care, make-up, anti-bacterial soaps, household cleaners, carpeting, furniture, even our kids toys! The list is endless!
So are you curious what all this is doing to you and your family? Take the Body Burden test and see where you score. Then figure out what changes you can make to score better next time.
Being green is not just about the planet and the 3 R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) it's also about our health and the choices we make every time we purchase a product.
The products we use and are exposed to every day are loaded with chemicals. Think skin care, make-up, anti-bacterial soaps, household cleaners, carpeting, furniture, even our kids toys! The list is endless!
So are you curious what all this is doing to you and your family? Take the Body Burden test and see where you score. Then figure out what changes you can make to score better next time.
Being green is not just about the planet and the 3 R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) it's also about our health and the choices we make every time we purchase a product.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Begining thoughts...
These days it seems "going green" is all the rage. Mainstream magazines have page after page on living green. Newspapers have articles on people incorporating green technology into their homes. Even HGTV has a green show called Carter Can for the do-it-yourselfer that wants to tread more lightly on the earth.
They all make it sound so easy -- but is it really? Can changing a few lightbulbs and bringing your own bag to the grocery store really make a difference?
What about all those "green cleaners" at your favorite discount store. Are they really safe? Are they really green?
What about solar -- is it worth the investment? Or a hybrid?
They all make it sound so easy -- but is it really? Can changing a few lightbulbs and bringing your own bag to the grocery store really make a difference?
What about all those "green cleaners" at your favorite discount store. Are they really safe? Are they really green?
What about solar -- is it worth the investment? Or a hybrid?
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