* recycled, handmade, or plantable papers processed chlorine-free and printed with vegetable- or soy-based inks
* tree-free paper made out of hemp, banana stalks, bamboo, kenaf, or organic cotton
* a printer who will use paper with a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content
* papers that aren't metallic or plastic-coated, characteristics that make them hard to recycle
* opportunities to reduce paper use, like sending a postcard (instead of multi-enveloped notes) for your save-the-date, or using online invitations and a wedding blog to let people know about the bachelor/ette parties, rehearsal dinner, and gift registry
2. With this ring...
A green wedding begins where any engagement does: with a ring. Don't start off on a sour note. The beautiful alternatives to "blood diamonds" (those that are mined in war zones and fund conflicts) include:
- vintage rings, whether a family heirloom or an antique find (you can even have old gold melted down and refashioned)
- lab-created diamonds (greenKarat's are set in recycled gold too)
- diamonds mined in peaceful Canada or Australia, like those from Brilliant Earth, Cred Jewellery, or Leber Jewelry's Earthwise line
- diamonds certified as "conflict-free" under the Kimberley Process, an ongoing effort to reform diamond mining in Africa (ask your jeweler the questions in Amnesty International's buyer's guide)
- one-of-a-kind wooden bands
Plan bachelor and bachelorette parties that will keep the green theme going:
- Stay local (and spend more time with your friends, and less dealing with travel stress).
- Offset your trip if you choose a "destination" party.
- Travel by train (and start the party early in the bar car).
- Indulge in organic wine (or beer) tasting or an organic spa treatment.
- Take a class and learn to make your own wedding flowers or jewelry.
- Do something low-impact and outdoorsy like a camping, surfing, sailing, kayaking, or fishing trip.
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