Eco-Friendly Weddings: Sustainable and Ethical Wedding Presents

Weddings celebrate the love between couples. Family and friends gathered to witness the union of the couple, who promised to be together “till death do them part.” However, this day could also be one to give back to the planet. How? By gifting the couple with sustainable wedding gifts. Couples can also go the sustainable wedding route by choosing ethical and eco-friendly party favors. 

Aside from being ethical and eco-friendly, these sustainable gifts mean you’ve given your presents and souvenirs much thought. You didn’t just pick up anything for the heck of it. With clothing waste, water pollution, and carbon emissions, environmental hazards are piling up quicker than shotgun weddings. It’s time to give something back to the environment in your own way. Longevity Live Paid Content. 

Witness Ethics Mesh With Aesthetics

You can give countless sustainable gifts to your favorite guests or couples. It could be as simple as a personalized hamper or as lavish as upcycled furniture and lab-grown diamonds with jewelry insurance. 

Local artisans can make these hampers from indigenous materials, recycled fabric, or cotton rope. These materials, especially cotton rope, are biodegradable. When these gifts are ready to retire later, the recipients won’t feel guilty about disposing of them.

On the other hand, producing lab-grown diamonds made with solar power involves fewer environmental impacts and emissions. Hence, this synthetic gem fits the ethical wedding gift definition perfectly. 

The Persistent Problem of Carbon Footprint 

According to Zero Waste, an average wedding in the US leaves a staggering 400-pound waste and about 63 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). Your trash could double if you have over 100 guests at your wedding. Unfortunately, this collected waste is primarily non-biodegradable. This scenario means your waste will still be there when it’s your great-grandchildren’s time to plan their wedding. 

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and human emissions have continued to rise since the 1750 Industrial Revolution. In the 20th century, these emissions slowly rose to five billion tons per year. After that, it skyrocketed to over 35 billion tons annually by the end of the century. 

Carbon dioxide matters because it’s the planet’s most crucial greenhouse gas. This gas radiates heat after absorbing it. Unlike nitrogen or oxygen, greenhouse gases absorb radiating heat coming from the surface of the Earth before releasing it in different directions. 

Without CO2, the natural greenhouse effect would weaken and have difficulty keeping the global surface temperature. If this scenario happens, the Earth will freeze. 

However, if you add too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, you’ll also be hastening the greenhouse effect. As a result, you can expect the global temperature to increase. A natural increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide has warmed the planet’s temperature during the ice age cycles within the past million years. 

The world is warming

The interglacials or warm episodes started with a slight incoming sunlight increase in the Northern Hemisphere. This phenomenon is due to variations and shifts in the Earth’s rotation axis and orbit around the sun. 

The extra sunlight is the reason behind the extra warming. Unfortunately, as the oceans warmed, they also outgassed these carbon dioxides like soda cans flattened because of summertime heat. The excess carbon dioxide left in the atmosphere caused the amplification of solar-driven, initial warming. 

Simple Acts to Save the Planet 

Given the harmful effects of greenhouse gases and excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it’s high time to take steps to help save the planet. Aside from sustainable wedding themes, wedding gowns, guest dresses, and wedding supplies, there are other ways you can help the bride and groom. 

Here are some sustainable gifts and giveaway ideas for an ethical and environment-friendly wedding. 

Sidedish or any food for the wedding reception

Instead of traditional wedding gifts, you can encourage your guests to bring side dishes or food you can share at the reception. If you’re the guest, think of a meal you’d want to share with the couple and their families. It’s a good idea to cook a dish you’re good at preparing to add joy and a festive atmosphere to the party. 

Overdye table napkins 

Flowers are the mainstay of any wedding. Add these charming and glorious wedding blooms to great use by utilizing them as fabric dyes. This concept is a perfect wedding accessory that the guests can give to the bride and groom. 

If you’re hesitant about doing this yourself, you can connect with local artisans who craft gorgeous natural wedding flower dyes. Use these dyes to color the wedding table napkins you will gift the couple. If you’re part of the bride and groom team, you can use overdye napkins as wedding memorabilia.

This unique gift will not only be an eye candy at the reception but also a symbol of your creative effort to lessen carbon emissions. 

Personalized gifts made of recycled materials

Personalized gifts are a great way to thank your guests for gracing your wedding. If you’re the guest, these gifts are also a charming way of helping the couple minimize their wedding waste. You’ll always go right with personalized items because you gave your gift much thought. 

Couples can give personalized stationary hampers as wedding favors. Personalizing adds much value, like telling your guests you appreciate their presence. Aside from these hampers, you can explore candles, stationery sets, or books. 

Paper may be the most commonly reused material. However, you can also research eco-friendly brands that use papers from suppliers that uphold the highest environmental and social standards.

Vegan or upcycled accessories

Upcycled fabrics, like personalized cotton rope hampers, are great wedding gifts and souvenirs. From monogrammed handkerchiefs to scarves, drawstring bags for the bride, and even handbags, many artisans create different wedding gifts and souvenirs by recycling resources. If you’re considering wedding favors, try exploring vegan upcycled accessories like belts, purses, handbags, or totes. 

Bring the aroma in with good-smelling gifts

Another excellent wedding souvenir and gift idea are candles in reusable glass containers. Many brands brew lovely scented concoctions that treat your wedding guests to a taste of luxury. 

Support Kinder and Ethical Causes With a Green Wedding 

Weddings are events where you can share your joy with family and friends. Aside from reconnecting with people in your circle, use this as a platform to encourage a humane cause. Planning and executing a green wedding isn’t impossible. It’s also easier than most couples imagine. 

As you move on to a new chapter in your life, leave your guests with something worthwhile. Encourage them to choose wedding gifts that promote a kinder cause, like saving the environment. Also, return the favor by giving them wedding favors that would make them remember the beauty of a green, sustainable wedding. 

Main Photo by Danielle Reese