Feeling trapped in plastic, much like this poor couple, I came to a new stance for Marc’s and my wedding (and sanity).

Somehow, when I Googled “Plastic-free wedding”, I found nothing, though I figured all the overlay of eco-concern and weddings would naturally have had a blog or something named this.

Anyhow, I am not going the route of creating a specific website and blog to this specific topic, but you will find posts regarding how I try to make my upcoming wedding friendlier to the Earth and our future. My first vow is to make my wedding as plastic-free as possible.

I have already been weighing the disposable plateware versus china rental conundrum. I think I am within a week’s decision on that one. How about everything else though?

The wedding industry (sometimes referred to as the WIC – Wedding Industrial Complex) is a complete craphole for useless, disposable, stuffs. Favors, decorations, hair goodies, foods, clothing, invitations, programs, and so much more. In fact, it feels that with each year, new crappy disposable things get tacked on to a new bride’s “must-have” list.

Like Save-the-Date cards (sadly referred to as STDs). Those used not to be at all. Now, not only do many brides feel they are mandatory, but the new thing is Save-the-Date magnets. I have received three from friends… and while they are actually cute, it feels weird to leave magnets of all my coupled friends on my fridge for years to come.

We are just bypassing wedding STDs completely.  *chuckles*

(more…)

As I try to plan a wedding, something which you think you can do until you are in the position to, and then realize you have zero experience in doing so and should not be given the privilege*, I am faced with yet another conundrum.

Do we use disposable dinnerware for the wedding reception, and what options are there besides plastic?

The whole thing arose when I told my Sis and Gramms over Thanksgiving that I did not know how much rental dinnerware would cost us, and Gramms suggested I could get pretty clear plastic plates from Walmart and probably save a bundle.

Yep, Gramma.  I could save a bundle, but I edit and write articles about not doing exactly that.  Using plastic plates just does not jam at all with who Marc and I are.**  So, I thanked her for the suggestion but explained how that could not work for us.

I have noticed, however, that I am far from alone on this debate.  Forum board after forum has brides talking about going plastic.***  Then again, many boards are slamming plastic.

Paper is getting slammed, too.

Enter Bambu Veneerware, made of 100% organically-grown bamboo.  The products look chic enough, and I found Pink Argyle and Kirstin Endemann talking up the products.

I am thus torn between renting dinnerware, buying cute mismatch dinnerware I have to wash myself after the reception, or buying this Bambu Veneerware which is still stylish while being super easy to clean up after (plates only, not the bamboo utensils) and says it biodegrades in less than six months.  Hmmm…

I really dug this post by Apartment Therapy where Kristen Lubbe debates this exact issue when it comes to hosting parties.  I dig the honesty of questioning which to do, and where we (as environmentalist and social-conscious humans) should allow ourselves some forgiveness for accepting a little convenience over moral high-ground.  But check out the tremendous slew of comments afterward, many bashing the author for not taking the route of renting or buying new dishes.****

So, suggestions?  Feelings why you lean one way or another?  Or what you would never do?

Let it fly… I have stuff to decide.  And you know you would feel gratified and proven right if your comment is what sways my decision. 

Sustainably yours, Ashley Sue

*Who am I kidding?! I love this challenge!  Nine and a half months left to figure it all out!

**Except plastic plates are cheap.  Marc and I are cheap.  :/  Cost, however, is not enough of a jam for us to forsake our ethics.

***I’m a honking big snob anyhow and just think plastic is tacky.  I would avoid it however I could.

****Commenter Oneformybaby at November 23, 2009 11:25 pm really expresses my feelings regarding this Apartment Therapy post and the commenters with “i totally understand about the need to preserve our environment but why dont we stop attacking each other for trying to make our lives just a little less stressful and start putting our attention to where it really can make a difference. Its like telling someone they are horrible people for eating fast food once in a while! Sometimes, you just need a break!”

Just a quick moment to let you know about Jolly Green Girl’s fabulous new giveaway!  She’s partnered up with b.b.begonia to give away a stylish new tote!  I think that’s a fantastic idea!

Why would Jolly Green Girl Susie partner up with b.b.begonia?  It’s a perfect pair:

b.b.begonia brings you the latest in stylish and fashionable polyester totes to reduce our dependence on plastic bags and hopefully eliminate them completely in the near future. With modern and kitschy prints; you would be proud owners of these Eco-chic bags.

When you mix a chic with impeccable style and taste as well as eco-smarts with a responsible company also helping make a positive impact on the environment while remaining hip, you have a fantastic chance to win a fantastic bag!

Susie offers multiple ways to enter and increase your chances, so head on over to her post to find out how you can have that chance!  Plus, by carrying this modern eco-friendly bag, you can reduce your use of plastic and paper disposable bags when you shop!

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

Just like any other media story or corporate scandal that becomes overly saturated throughout the media (as niche as it may be), I am sick of hearing about the SIGG dramas.  If you want my opinions, I’m angry at the distrust caused, and I have stated it here, here, and here.

For an update, however, here is a post by Towns and Trails on REI responding to the SIGG issue.  I love REI for always standing 100% by their products.  Also, SustainLane discusses the embers remaining aglow from this highly unfortunate misstep of the company.

One quick point to remind people, however.  I do not believe the media has created a panic, as SustainLane states.  I, in fact, have seen nearly nothing regarding this when I watch CNN, FOXNews, or local news, all of which I watch lots of.  Instead, we the blogging-community media have expressed our concerns and frustrations.  We, the people, have a voice, and it is utilized for issues like this.  MarketingDaily does a great job explaining this as SIGG proving that consumers own brand.

Also, the argument that older versions of SIGG are safe is definitely questionable, as the “100% leach-free” tests for those SIGG bottles tested only to the parts per billion.  Some tests show that BPA can affect hormones at the parts per million level.  Where are those tests on SIGG?  Want to see two great (opposing) perspectives on this?  Check out this by Treehugger and this by Real Green Girl.  Spectacular.

Sadly, this leads me to say I cannot feel great about the new EcoCare liner in the newer SIGG bottles either.  I just do not have a choice but to assume well of it.

On that note, I am heading to REI now to return my old SIGG, which I am really sad I have to part with… We’ve had good times together.

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

Have you met The Greenists?  In case you missed it, the previously known “Allie’s Answers” blog grew into “The Greenists” ~ which means we get even more quality info from more eco-loving, ultra interesting friends!

Two of my favorite recent posts include one on crayons and one on shopping for dinner at your house.

Remember when you were a kid and you loved opening a new box of untouched, unbroken crayons?  The colors were just so perfect, and they were shaped so lovely… OK, perhaps I was just geek enough to feel that way.  Do you also remember at Vacation Bible School when they would pull out the shoebox of broken crayon ends, most missing their paper wrappers and all of them hobbly and rounded on the ends?  They were not as exciting to play with despite working just as well.

Melissa found a way to make those knobbelled over crayons fresh and exciting again, not to mention the absolute perfect shape and size for tiny hands.  Plus, the process of making them “new” again is fun for your own creative side!

Also, Noelle realizes how much we all tend to throw out insane amounts of food.  For instance, I have a box of unopened prunes sitting in my fridge from over two years ago, purchased in a cloud of delusion where I thought I would enjoy snacking on them if I had them.  Noelle knows that times are tough, and frankly, each of us could probably do the grocery shopping for our week’s dinners right in our own pantry.  Go ahead.  Give it a try.

Sincere thank you to Allie for continuing to share her love for life and living with all of us, as well as introducing us to a whole new gang of friends ~ The Greenists!

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

How very cool would it be to pick up your groceries in a 100% organic cotton ecobag with your original artwork on it?  Even better, how very cool would it be to have won it, free, in a giveaway competition?!  I think it sounds like a great way to kick your disposable plastic shopping bag habit!

Peter from EcoPrintWorks let me know about this awesome giveaway.  Check them out if you want to win a “custom print [ecobag] with your art using our amazingly soft, vibrant, and earth conscious water-based inks.  All you need to do is register or place an order” with EcoPrintWorks by the end of August, and you could win!  Visit their site and read more.

Good luck!

Sustainably yours, Ashley Sue

I finally changed my shower curtain liner, and finally for the better of the Earth.  For the near-decade I have lived in apartments, I have used cheap vinyl liners behind my shower curtain.  For the last nearly four years, we have done so for two bathrooms.

We change our shower curtains several times a year due to the speckly, ugly mildew and hard water stains that form.  That means that we annually chuck our petroleum-derived phthalate-laced toxic vinyl plastic into the landfill.  So do many of you, I have no doubt.

Have you thought about your shower curtain?  What is it made from?  What is the liner made from?  Are you able to wash yours in the washing machine?  Do you simply throw it out?

I have pondered this for a couple years and finally changed to a better, more sustainable, washable option.

What it is:

• 100% Polyester (I know, not perfect)
• washable – Yay!
• reusable for years – Yay!
• a few dollars more than the plastic vinyl type, but a happy investment

What it is not:

• vinyl / PVC
• American-made
• natural fiber
• recycled material – they make these though
• disposable – Yay!
• smelly weirdness like new toxic vinyl curtains – Yay!

These are trade-offs I can happily take.  Apparently, I just realized with some research, I am not the only one looking for a happy trade-off:  Green LA Girl is going anti-vinyl curtain too and found a… nutty… one!

Actually, the most informed, best article and review I’ve found on shower curtain options, your personal health, and a healthy environment is from The Daily Green.  Really, Deirdre Dolan did a fantastic job researching, trying, and sharing some great info.

What would it take for you to change your shower curtain?  Do you have any other suggestions you would like to share?

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

A quick update on a post I wrote in March 2009 regarding eco-friendly options to toilet paper and diapers:

Oddly, yes, the post mentions that Allie found out that cloth diapers and such have a higher carbon footprint than using disposable products, but that we need to continue looking for better options and not simply feel free to use the toxic disposable options instead.

I just stumbled across the Modern Mama who realized that while alternative options are indeed necessary, the truth of what these nappies are made from (despite marketing hype) and what they costs (including financial, health, and environmental costs) need to be considered.  Modern Mama Rosanne considers just that and shares her very in-depth findings.

I hope to be figuring all this out for myself and my hypothetical children one day soon enough, but until then, hopefully some of you spicy mamas out there will use the recommendation and research!

Sustainably yours, Ashley Sue

Playing on Twitter this morning, I found this great post on the Seventh Generation blog regarding the failure rate of bringing your reusable bags to the store.

I try not to get to judgy-wudgy, but I am who I am, and I judge.  Needless to say, I was a bit dismayed reading how people say remembering to use their bags at the grocer is so hard, so inconvenient, or just simply not on their mind.

Ann of Staten Island, New York, shuns plastic when she picks up her morning papers and coffee but admits to rarely using the shopping bag she carries in her purse. Alan, our mutual friend in L.A., uses his canvas bags as much as he can…that is, when he doesn’t forget to take them out of the car: “Hey, I’m 48 and the mind goes.”

One woman said using reusable totes is fine if you only shop for a tiny family, but a larger family is too difficult:

“The totes they sell at most places are so small it’s annoying, so you have to bring a ton of them. If I’m going to the store for something small I’ll take one. But for a regular grocery shopping expedition? With a family of five, it’s just impossible.”

This disheartens me.  My response to her is she’s simply using the wrong bags.  I agree the major inexpensive grocery chains tend not to provide decent size ~ or more importantly ~ decent quality reusable bags.  They are small and shred easily.  I have a large cloth tote, however, thrift stores always have large canvas totes you can buy for super cheap, make your own, or use the great (and cheap ~ $1) bags from Whole Foods that are made so sturdy!  We have 15 of them and have had to load up many of them when shopping for big family weekends.

Now, I will say I have left them in my trunk before.  That is becoming so infrequent it is almost never the case now.  Once, I did leave a clothing store and realize I never used the nicely folded Envirosax bag I had tucked into my purse.

It really is about getting your mind in the groove so it feels unnatural to take disposable bags.  As for grocer’s, in the rare event I forget my bags or do not bring in enough (my usual problem), I just load the cart back up (or my arms) and carry my goods that way until I get back to my car.  A cashier last week says he has more and more customers who do the same thing.  This act helps ingrain the habit and reminds me how good I feel in making this tiny decision, and knowing that I am not alone makes me even happier.

I apologize sincerely if I sound haughty about the issue.  I certainly am no green Saint, and I suppose my vigilance at the bag issue helps for the fact that I have several glaring gaps in my sustainability routine.  I just do not see age (he was kidding though), family size, or constantly forgetting you have your bags until the cashier’s already loaded it all in plastic as legitimate arguments for shrugging it off.

Judgy wudgy.

Perhaps I was actually most disheartened by the thought that many who purchase reusable bags only do so out of feeling the pressure of the “green guilt”.  If you buy something merely because peer pressure and enviro-guilt, of course you will have a hard time using it.  I can imagine each time you see them or pull the bags out, a little chunk of resentment hardens inside your gut.  Unfortunate.  That made me more sensitive to the rest of the article, I suppose.

On the contrary, as for the new mother who said she not only chooses to take the disposable plastic bags but grabs extras at the store too… well, I have no judgement on her.  I have no idea what having a child in diapers is like and wonder myself how much I will sacrifice for convenience if I am one day blessed with the joys and challenges of a new baby.

What do you think?  Are any of these solid arguments for not using bags?  Should the new mom think longer-term than to justify using plastic bags as well?  Do you have any suggestions for how to remember your bags while you shop?  Am I a green snob for knocking bag owners who rarely use their bags?

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

Plastic has become such an evil word to those of us pushing an enviro-friendly agenda, but buying recycled plastic products can be an amazing way to get that “I’m reducing trash in the world” high.  Case-and-point:  Preserve products.

I have written before out using Preserve razors and Terracycle toothbrushes, both of which are made by inspirational companies that use recycled plastic for their goods.  Cheers to corporate awareness of how they can work with consumers to make an impact.

While Marc and I camped last month in the Pisgah National Forest, however, we spent our first couple days also camping with Marc’s oldest brother and nephew.  In those couple days, paper plates and plastic Solo cups were the containers of choice.  I cringed the whole time… we had brought permanent cups for the trip, but dang if the disposable convenience mentality does not prevail among the masses.  :/

The good news was that once it was just Marc and me again, we did not use another disposable cup or plate.  Only our enamel-coated camp ware for us.  Still, I felt horrible.  Damage had been done.

Preserve makes a great “powered by leftovers” product line of colorful cups, plates, bowls, and utensils.  For some people, this may be a great summer purchase.  Stop by your local Earth Fare or Whole Foods, pick a couple vivid colors for your palette and just imagine sitting down with family and friends at a picnic table with these nifty, lightweight cups full of mojitos and plates loaded with cool, zingy potato salad and steaming, sweet cobbler… Then you carry it all inside and put load your dishwasher!  So easy, so eco!

Marc brought up his desire to inspire our family not to use those typical disposable cups and plates, but pointed out he believes the primary reason they use Solos is for the weight as well as convenience.  He said he thinks they get tossed between drinks because people forget to label their cups with their names for reuse… then they all get mixed up on the table.

Alas, Marc noticed these great multicolored aluminum tumblers!  Why are these so lovable for us?  Well, beside the fact a pack of six is a pack of six different colors for easy remembering, aluminum is lightweight for packing on trips.  Even better, when these get too dinged up to be usable anymore, aluminum can be recycled countless times.  If you accidentally leave your cup on the picnic table and a bear comes and tries to eat it, after he realizes he does not want the cup and spits it out, you can chunk it into your recycling bin!

When you plan your next family outing by the lake, in the backyard, or deep in the forest, maybe you as well will pick up Preserve tableware or some easy, inspired, lightweight enamel, aluminum, or steel products.

Sustainably yours,

Ashley Sue