Green on a Budget

biojess

Because there's so much greenwashing and eco-friendly being trendy, it seems to be everywhere! I know to really investigate products to check for actually following my values as opposed to just being labeled green. However, I'm having a harder time finding truly green products in my relatively small budget. Any tips out there for eco-friendly bargain hunting?

sovawanea

What kind of place are you using for reception? And what kinds of things are you looking for? My venue actually imposes a lot of green restrictions (it's a nature center) and we could only work with caterers willing to meet them...so we just had to choose between reusable china or the one brand of compostable plates the caterer has. If you aren't working with a caterer used to composting, then it might not be worth actually getting those kind of plates since they may just end up in the trash. A lot really depends on where you are and what kind of a reception you are having.

I think mainly I am just focusing for the decor on things that will actually be reused ( like mason jars) and are abundant and seasonal ( like pumpkins from a local farm) or that can be donated to a charity resale shop afterwards (platters and cake stands)  and just using as few as possible new things and disposable things.
If there really isn't a green product in your budget for something, you may just have to accept that the technology has not advanced to where you need it to be yet.  Buy what you can afford and donate to a green cause later on. Or figure out something that will serve the same purpose and does meat your ethical standards and your budget.