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Best way to explain compostables?

antimonyantimony
100 Comments
in Eco-Friendly Weddings
We're tentatively planning to use compostable plates/flatware -- and our caterer, who is nifty and eco-savvy, says they actually send them to a place for composting rather than into the normal waste stream.

But it's going to be a fairly fancy shindig, otherwise -- do you think we should put out notes explaining that the choice is ecological, not economical, or what?    (It does save us a little money, but that's not why we're doing it.)

Or if we were going to have a mix of reusable and compostable, which items?  (I'm thinking perhaps wine glasses, here.) 
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Re: Best way to explain compostables?

  • Future.Mrs.CarterFuture.Mrs.Carter
    100 Comments
    If you want to explain the choice to friends and family you could put a small sign out that says eco friendly. That's what we're doing but ours is going to be buffet style so everyone will see the sign next to the plates.
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  • antimonyantimony
    100 Comments
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-theme-boards_eco-friendly-weddings_way-explain-compostables?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Theme%20BoardsForum:584Discussion:b14d8846-c40f-427b-a752-6c61e1574ab7Post:99382bb7-3b18-4c0d-943e-a5e33892034d">Re: Best way to explain compostables?</a>:
    [QUOTE]If you want to explain the choice to friends and family you could put a small sign out that says eco friendly. That's what we're doing but ours is going to be buffet style so everyone will see the sign next to the plates.
    Posted by Future.Mrs.Carter[/QUOTE]

    I think we're going to do something similar -- we'realso doing buffet-style, partly because I like it and partly because it lets people worried about getting enough food at a vegetarian restaurant to take more of whatever they like best.  We are planning to have signs up listing the menu and what local farms stuff comes from -- we'll likely put it there. 

    We may also need to separate trash -- I'm not sure.  So if we have multiple bins out, that will help as well.  I would like to make sure all the beer bottles get recycled, and most of my family will shoo off a waiter trying to put the beer in a glass and grab the bottle. 

    We're not trying to be show offs about the local/eco stuff -- but there's lots of folks who will find it interesting and fun and would like to know.  And, okay, a few that will go "plastic forks at a fancy wedding EWW", and we'd at least like them to know there was a reason for it.  
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  • pirategal03pirategal03 member
    Knottie Warrior 5000 Comments Combo Breaker
    Not trying to be snarky here at all...but I'm genuinely curious (partially because we're debating this right now too)

    What made you decide to use compostable over re-useable?  I'd think if you were worried about your guests wondering about "plastic forks at a fancy wedding" you'd just go with "real" dishes and silverware and I just wondered about what led you to that decision.
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  • antimonyantimony
    100 Comments
    edited April 2010
    Honestly?  The caterer mentioned it as an option, and my FI loved the idea.  Lower carbon footprint is his main goal, I think. 

    And it matters more to him than it does to me -- but I'm the one nervous about what people will think and posting on the 'net. 

    It did also bring high-end local/organic catering into the upper budget limit we'd set for food, but we could afford to change our budget.   (I doubled my original dress budget to get something made with peace silk, because I'm a lifelong vegetarian and it mattered enough to me, even though the amount I'm spending on one dress kind of freaks me out.) But the idea of paying more and getting a less environmentally friendly wedding doesn't sit well either, now that we've picked the compostables. 
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  • pirategal03pirategal03 member
    Knottie Warrior 5000 Comments Combo Breaker
    Well OK then.  Sounds like y'all've figured it out.
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  • LexiS2011LexiS2011
    First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-theme-boards_eco-friendly-weddings_way-explain-compostables?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Theme BoardsForum:584Discussion:b14d8846-c40f-427b-a752-6c61e1574ab7Post:eb80a38c-ed5c-402f-bd8b-f0113a74a150">Re: Best way to explain compostables?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Best way to explain compostables? : I think we're going to do something similar -- we'realso doing buffet-style, partly because I like it and partly because it lets people worried about getting enough food at a vegetarian restaurant to take more of whatever they like best.  We are planning to have signs up listing the menu and what local farms stuff comes from -- we'll likely put it there. 
    Posted by antimony[/QUOTE]

    Would you mind if I borrowed this idea? We're doing similar things to reduce the carbon footprint of our wedding and, on top of posting signs for recycling and compostables, I'd like to put up the sign listing the farms. It would be nice to give a little back to the farmers.

    Also, has anyone seen the texture of a compostable plate? We're considering them and will be ordering samples to take a look, but I would love to hear what other brides think. =)
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  • antimonyantimony
    100 Comments
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-theme-boards_eco-friendly-weddings_way-explain-compostables?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Theme%20BoardsForum:584Discussion:b14d8846-c40f-427b-a752-6c61e1574ab7Post:8ce7b423-78b2-49da-823c-1dbfdb3cc34b">Re: Best way to explain compostables?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Best way to explain compostables? : Would you mind if I borrowed this idea? We're doing similar things to reduce the carbon footprint of our wedding and, on top of posting signs for recycling and compostables, I'd like to put up the sign listing the farms. It would be nice to give a little back to the farmers. Also, has anyone seen the texture of a compostable plate? We're considering them and will be ordering samples to take a look, but I would love to hear what other brides think. =)
    Posted by LexiS2011[/QUOTE]

    Go right ahead.  Anything that gets people talking about local food is a plus! 

    Though now we may be doing rentals because the FH just realized it's hard to clink glasses with compostable forks and glasses, and for heaven-only-knows what reason, this is making him very sad.  I have told him it's entirely up to him and am leaving it to him to pick something -- he changes his mind every week, it seems.  They both have their plusses and minuses, in terms of carbon footprint and other eco-concerns.    (Like we're doing buffet, and people will probably be more likely to reuse a plate if it's china, and to hang onto the same wineglass for a while, rather than tossing them down the compost bin each time.) 

    Our caterer was awesome and did our tasting on the compostables for us -- the plates were like a very nice, sturdy paper plate, and the flatware was tan-colored and felt like very heavy plasticware. 
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  • sunshine9779sunshine9779 member
    100 Comments
    If eco friendly is a true goal, go with the compostables.  Your FI can put little bells on tables for guests to ring instead of clinking glasses.  That merry sound might even make him smile more than clinking glasses.  GL
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