Carbon Offset Your Wedding
Illustration from Native Energy
I knew we should have eloped! Here are some quick facts from eco-wedding rag Portovert:
- The average U.S. wedding has 165 guests; 54 will require lodging and/or air travel. (American Wedding Survey 2005)
- In the U.S., approximately 15,000 pounds of carbon equivalent are emitted per person every year. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
- The U.S. is the world’s largest single emitter of carbon dioxide, accounting for about 23 percent of energy-related carbon emissions worldwide.
Portovert has partnered with Native Energy to launch the first U.S. wedding carbon calculator, so eco-savvy brides and grooms can calculate the emissions generated by the major matrimonial-related carbon sources: guest travel, lodging, and venue power and heat.
Starting at $12 per ton of carbon offsets, the happy couple can invest in renewable energy by choosing one of three options: helping build new wind power projects, new family-farm methane-energy projects, or a combo of both. And if it’s not financially feasible to offset your entire nuptials—because, hey, who wants to start a marriage mired in debt?—making a manageable percentage of the wedding carbon neutral is still an excellent way to toast your new beginning in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
It almost makes me wish I had my wedding to plan all over again so I could do right by the planet this time around.
Well, almost.
Actually, here are some inadvertently green things we did for our wedding:
- It was held during the day, and in the summer, so no extra heat or lighting was necessary.
-
WeI designed and printed our wedding invitations at home, and requested that RSVPs be sent via e-mail. - We kept our wedding small—around 40 people. Decorations (and subsequent waste) were also minimal. The fabric tags that numbered the tables were made from a repurposed couch cover. So shabby! So chic!
- Our (tragically non-organic) flowers, which we arranged ourselves, were placed in reused glass jars we had saved.
- One of our guests was also our official photographer.
- My sister did my makeup and hair, thankfully not choosing that moment to exact revenge for years of sibling tyranny.
- We didn’t spring for a band or DJ, but had a friend (and guest) burn CDs with jazz and swing standards.
- We used the venue’s fabric napkins, fabric tablecloths, and actual dish- and tableware, instead of opting for disposables.
- No confetti/rice tossings or matchy-matchy bridesmaids/groomsmen because I’m just such a rebel that way.
Related articles:
1. Dude, It’s an Offset
2. Flying the Eco-Friendly Skies
3. Offsetting Our Vacation
Liz said,
February 16, 2007 at 5:10 pm
I made our invitations, too, but mostly ’cause I’m a cheapass. Who scrutinizes the invitation, anyway? We had 50 peeps, no bridesmaids/groomsmen, and no jet-setting off on a honeymoon. Oh, and my dress was off-the-rack Ann Taylor, and I’ve worn it to three other weddings in the past ten (!) years.
I’m so very glad we decided not to go to Long Island for the cousin’s wedding this weekend. Something tells me I wouldn’t have seen any inadvertent greening. ;)
kathryn said,
February 16, 2007 at 6:34 pm
i love that you did rsvps via email & now i have one more reason for doing that myself. thanks for these tips.
peppylady said,
February 16, 2007 at 7:07 pm
A friend of mine is going to host wedding and I’m going to look up American Wedding Survey and see what info I can gather for her.
It seems to be a little over board and about half will end in divorce.
Lynn said,
February 22, 2007 at 4:53 am
Ah, but if you do your wedding all over again, think of the total combined amount of energy and resources used for the previous ceremony and the new one. :) You did pretty well the first time around!