If you’re asking your guests to come with a gift from a wedding registry, you can give them an entirely sustainable list of options to choose from. Here are a few examples of what you could include:
Earth-friendly gifts
If you want to take a more eco-friendly approach to life beyond the wedding day itself, this is a great opportunity to get a helping hand. You can ask for gifts like solar panel chargers, bamboo toothbrushes, electric lights or even a compost bin.
Fairtrade products
Looking for homeware which could genuinely make a positive difference to the lives of people in developing countries? You can find things like rugs, cutlery and even tables on websites such as Ten Thousand Villages.
These items are produced from sustainable ingredients by people living in third world countries. As it’s fairtrade, they take a healthy cut of all profits made on anything sold.
Small and local gifts
Investing in local communities is good for everyone. But it’s especially handy if you’re trying to reduce your wedding’s carbon footprint. Purchasing from people in your community will mean there’s far less fuel being burned to get your presents to you.
The key here is to think about how each item on your registry could have an impact on the environment. Is what you’re asking for going to come from a sustainable source?
Organic and low-impact flowers
While all flowers are by their very nature “organic”, sustainability can still be taken into account when it comes to decorating your wedding.
Aside from the carbon footprint you accrue when transporting flowers from across the world (most flowers used in Western Europe are grown in Kenya, Colombia, Vietnam and Ecuador), there can also be issues of exploitation in the supply chain.
There are steps you can take to avoid funding these kinds of enterprises:
Buy local and seasonal flowers
Using a website, you can search for the exact type of flower you want, even specifying by things like pesticide usage. This allows you to make a conscious and measured choice about the distance your flowers have to travel and the impact you might be having.
Grow your own
A tried and tested method, there’s no harm in cutting out the middleman and growing your own. Even if the finished product isn’t as polished as what you might get from a professional florist, there’s a certain charm to self-grown decorations at a wedding.
Find a sustainable florist
As with most sectors, there are a growing number of florists who are making sustainability a priority. You can spot a sustainable supplier by looking for those who:
- Don’t use floral foam or plastic
- Source local or ethically certified flowers
- Are transparent about how they work and where their flowers come from
Who would have thought so much consideration went into something as simple as a flower? Make sure to keep all this in mind when choosing your bouquets.