Social Networking for Social Justice

Check out http://www.wiserearth.org , an online community that maps and connects organizations and individuals addressing the central issues of our day: climate change, poverty, the environment, peace, water, hunger, social justice, conservation, human rights and more

In other words, WiserEarth...

....is a directory of more than 100,000 groups working toward a just and sustainable world
...is a place where communities of action can collaborate, share resources and grow their network
...is like Wikipedia, where any registered user can create and edit content.
...is like FaceBook where you can find social networking tools allowing you to connect with others.
...enables funders to view a comprehensive landscape of organizations engaged in specific program activities.
...hosts geographic maps to help locate individual organizations
...is free of advertisements and commercial interests, and also free to use.

This is a great resource that we all should support. It is free to sign up and connect with other individuals, groups & communities that are the change they want to see in the world

Eco-Friendly Limo Service? Fact or Fiction?

Eco-friendly limo service? We'll let you decide. Some limo & car companies tote hybrid vehicles, but when users call they find they are all booked. So, call early to ensure a reservation or check out these green focused limo companies. These local car services mission statements are environmentally friendly and their fleet backs up their claims.

Brides & Grooms in New York, Connecticut & New Jersey can call Limo Green at http://www.limogreen.net/ Their fleet uses US natural gas. Natural gas burns cleaner than gasoline creating up to 90 percent fewer harmful emissions.

Eco Limo serves San Francisco's & Ecological Chauffeured Transportation find them at http://eco-limo.com/. ECOLIMO allows clients to arrive in style and in a positive, eco-friendly way. Their fleet includes hybrids & bio-dieseled fueled vehicles.

Another San Francisco Hybrid Car Service & Limo Rental Company is Hybrid Limo. http://www.hybridlimo.com/. Taking one ride in the San Francisco Bay Area in their Toyota Prius Hybrid instead of an L Model Lincoln Town Car uses 65% less gas and produces 65% less atmosphere-polluting carbon dioxide. One ride in a Toyota Camry Hybrid produces 50% less atmosphere-polluting carbon dioxide than the towncar.

In Colorado, Green Limousine has eco-friendly luxury transportation at http://www.greenlimousinecolorado.com/. They also feature organic wine & beer and local lodging specials. That is correct...organic beer & wine! Mmmm....Yummy.






Safe Travels!

P.S. None of these companies offer a Hummer Limo. It's a non-example! :)

Conflict Free Diamond & Eco-Gold Wedding Rings

Sumiche Jewelry Company has recycled and sustainably mined, fair trade gold and platinum, recycled silver, conflict free diamonds and certified Canadian Goose diamonds and fair trade gems and some beautifully green rings. http://www.sumiche.com/

Hemp Wedding Ideas: Wedding Dresses

What is it about hemp that makes it an eco-friendly product to intergrate into your wedding? Despite being illegal to grow in the United States, industrial hemp has many uses. Paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, and health food, are a few. Growing hemp also aligns with with the green objectives because hemp requires little to no pesticides, no herbicides, controls erosion of the topsoil, and produces oxygen. If that isn't good enought hemp can be used to replace many potentially harmful products, such as tree paper (the processing of which uses bleaches and other toxic chemicals, and contributes to deforestation), cosmetics, and plastics, most of which are petroleum-based and do not decompose easily.

At The Back Porch Boutique you can "dress like the Earth goddess you are on your special day." Artist Jamie offers affordable, quality, handmade, unique, eco-friendly, hemp wedding dresses. While you are at her website, check out her other creations including hemp head wraps and Grateful Dead holiday stockings.

Conscious Clothing specializes in hemp wedding dresses. Their fabrics are all hemp blends We offer a hemp/silk blend, a hemp/silk floral jacquard, hemp/silk satin, for the pure Vegan bride, a hemp/tencel blend is available. They also have bridesmaids dresses and separates that are available now. You can contact them to request samples of colors and fabrics. Their designs include the Goddess Gown & the Mermaid Gown.

Nature Gear features a Hemp Silk "Forever Love" Wedding Dress. It is made from 4 tones of eco-friendly fabrics Hemp silk/Organic
cotton. The "Andrea" style top with a traditional corset style back. Prices start at a reasonable $600!

Bamboo Eco-Wedding Ideas: Bamboo Wedding Gift Registry Ideas

Well, we have blogged about bamboo invitations, bamboo themed wedding favors and now it is time to blog about bamboo wedding gift registry ideas. In case you have not heard....bamboo is a great renewable resource. It grows faster than trees and can be just as strong as wood. Here are our Top 5 Bamboo Wedding Gift Ideas.


#1 Bamboo Wedding Gift: Organic Bamboo Bath Towels
What makes bamboo towels so special? Bamboo towels improve their quality with each wash. These towels are made by a windmill-powered factory and they are produced from sustainable resources using low impact dyes. They are extremely lightweight, highly absorbent and quick-drying. These towels are both ecofriendly and elegant and a perfect addition to a green wedding registry.



#2 Bamboo Wedding Gift :Bamboo Cutting Board
This bamboo cutting board absorbs very little moisture and will not shrink or swell. Because bamboo is also harder that most woods it makes it a tough, superior material for use in cutting boards. Every kitchen would would be happy to have one.


#3 Bamboo Wedding Gift: Arbor Bamboo Rug
This is just one style of the many beautiful bamboo rugs. They are appropriate for living rooms, kitchens, foyers, dining rooms and patios, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. It is made from 100% aged, Anji Mountain bamboo, the strongest, most durable bamboo in the world. Their environmentally friendly bamboo is harvested from controlled forests. Every home & green gift registry can benefit from an eco-friendly bamboo rug!



#4 Bamboo Wedding Gift: Bamboo Windchimes
Confession..... I usually find outdoor wind chimes annoying. Extremely, disturbing the peace, nerve grating....annoying! So I was surprised by the gentle & natural sounds of bamboo windchimes. My mother, a windchime fan, first introduced them to me at her house. I was pleasantly surprised by their peaceful relaxing sounds and didn't cringe with annoyance when she bought me my first set. Turns out I love them! Thanks mom.


#5 Bamboo Wedding Gift: Hemp & Bamboo Ottoman
Check out this bamboo ottoman! Elegant, expensive & elite. This cylindrical bamboo ottoman with its updated hemp upholstery is a great example of sophisticated Bettencourt's sustainable design. Besides being made with rapidly renewable bamboo, it is also made with non-toxic adhesives and finished with non-VOC Oil. This bamboo ottoman is not in my current price range, but maybe someday......? I'll keep it on my gift registry just in case one of my friends or family wins the lottery.

I found these bamboo wedding gifts at at the eco-gift registry website: registerlocally. An easy way to green your wedding is to create an earth-friendly gift registry. You can add gifts that are local or global being from bamboo, hemp, green, fair trade, recycled, organic & charities. Happy wedding planning. :)

Bamboo Eco-Wedding Ideas: Bamboo Favors

How green is bamboo? In searching for bamboo wedding favors that are eco-friendly, I came across and interesting dilemma. Most are bamboo gifts are imported. How green is bamboo that is imported from out of state or even country? Bamboo is very versitile and often can be grown in locally. Why buy online from when you can grow or buy it locally?


If you have time and a couple friends you may consider creating DIY or Do it yourself,bamboo wedding favors for your guests. However....although you can get as fancy as you'd like with it with ribbons, glue guns & decorative additions....a simple glass etching of the bride and groom's names with wedding date etched into a votive holder would be very classy, eco-friendly and memorable. Glass etching, instructions and votive holders can all be found at your local craft store. Find bamboo at your local nursery. Check your cell phone for a couple friends. :)

If you are planning a bamboo themed wedding consider giving your guests a biodegradable, loose tea Osmanthus flower & oolong tea leaves in a bamboo favor container. Your guests will love this
bamboo tea wedding favor

Another tip for a bamboo themed wedding are
bamboo placecard holders Interestingly though, these placecard holder are actually made from wood. Maybe some dried or live bamboo could give the same effect?


Bamboo is said to be filled with positive energy, or chi. By choosing bamboo, a symbolic gift said to bring good luck, you communicate to your guest the good wishes and gratitude you want want to share.

Find more bamboo wedding gifts at registerlocally.com and more wedding favor ideas here.

Green Eco-Friendly Wedding Planning

Eco-Friendly Green Wedding Planning

First....think local. Check your local phone book yellow pages for wedding planners. Call and interview them. See if their values align with your values.

Second.....talk to your friends. Not your SUV driving, gas guzzling, George W. voting friends,...not them. (how is it that, ...we all have at least one!) No, check with your recycling, composting, gardening friends on who helped them plan their wedding.

Third.....find a role model...near or far...that can offer guidance. I love Susan Angel. I am sick of those "green wedding planners".....who in actuality are big business wedding planners + extra $$$$ + trendy expensive green wedding slang = "eco-wedding planners." Nope. I like those wedding planners who incorporate green wedding ideas into all of their practices....not just the extra expensive package. Read about Susan Angel in this article: http://sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife/2007/06/trendsetter.html

Fourth.....follow our two rules.....free of charge!

********Number 1: Go local! Challenge yourself to find all of your wedding resources from within your 100 mile radius. We are talking flowers, catering, decorations, wedding dresses, gift registry (http://www.registerlocally.com) musicians, entertainment, etc....see if your can even shorten that radius?

********Number 2: Everyday habits! Don't forget them.....composting, recycling, buying local, eating organic, etc... Your wedding is all about you, but it can also be a way for you to be a role model for your friends and family on ways to live sustainably.

Good Luck with your wedding and remember....do the best you can, but keep in mind the big picture. Love.