With a bit of creativity, even a wedding can be a green affair

It's becoming increasingly clear that the concept of green living can be applied to practically everything we do in modern society. From our choice of diapers for the baby to the way we are put to final rest, green choices are everywhere.

The mundane activities of day-to-day green living are important but not always very exciting. Sure, efficient showers are great, but the idea doesn't exactly slam my fun meter into the red. An increasing number of people are finding creative ways to celebrate the major events of their lives in ways that lessen their impact on the planet.

A friend of mine recently got married. He and his fiancee decided to make their wedding as green as possible. They put a lot of thought into it and thankfully shared many of their ideas. Their wedding was a great example of how we can apply the concept of green living to the most joyful and memorable events that mark the passage of our lives. Whether you do it all on your own or hire one of the increasing number of "green wedding planners," a green wedding is a sure way to enhance the experience for you and your guests.

Remember, this is all about choice. This is not one size fits all, but more like do what feels right for your situation. Though some of these choices may seem trivial, it is often the smallest things, repeated many times, that have the greatest impact. With that in mind, here are some ideas that can reduce the footprint of your event and maybe make it even better:

Letting people know you're getting hitched usually requires reams of expensive paper, lots of postage and plenty of fuel to move it all around. This couple used an electronic service, WedShare.com, to handle much of the communication to and from their guests. Recycled paper was used for invitations sent to those without e-mail addresses, along with the wedding program and thank you notes.

Recycled and plantable paper was used to make yarmulkes (plantablepaper.com) and bookmarks (bloominpromotions.com).

Food orders were carefully calculated to minimize leftovers. Extra food that was not used on the wedding day was used at a Sunday brunch or given away for guests to take home. Food scraps that remained were composted on site by the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation (solanacenter.org). In addition, most of the produce served was grown locally, minimizing the fossil fuel used in transport.

Centerpieces were made with live bamboo and pachira plants in reusable cookie jars filled with sand from the beach and placed on sea grass placemats.

All paper, plastic and glass were recycled. Even better than recycled materials are reusable materials that need only be washed. This included the china, glassware, silverware and linen napkins.

The event was held at a beautiful facility that uses energy-efficient compact fluorescent and LED lighting to reduce its energy consumption. The date and location selected for the wedding resulted in a long, sunny day so the lighting was only used for a couple of hours in the late evening anyway. It was a passive solar wedding.

The caterer was located within a mile of the event location, further reducing energy use. The wedding hotel was selected for several reasons. Besides being of suitable quality, it was also in close proximity to the wedding site, used efficient lighting throughout the facility, was within walking distance to places guests were likely to visit, and provided underground parking that kept cars cooler and reduced the building's overall footprint.

Rather than a haphazard afterthought, carpooling was organized in advance to transport guests efficiently to the wedding and other locations. Even with all the planning and travel efficiency, there were still the unavoidable carbon emissions. The final step in greening the affair involved the purchase of carbon offsets (carbonfund.org) for guest travel and facility use. This resulted in a carbon-neutral wedding that was not only memorable but easy on the environment.

Other possibilities include organic food, renting hybrid vehicles and even eco-friendly limos. A bride may choose to reuse her mom's wedding gown or buy a new gown that can be worn for other events. Rings can be formed from recycled gold melted from old rings donated by friends and family. The opportunities are endless and often much more meaningful.

Green living is not a fad or for those on the fringe, it is mainstream. It is the next major revolution in the progress of humanity. The joy of a green wedding is a wonderful expression of love, not just between two people, but also for our incredible Earth.

Steve Rypka is a green living consultant and president of GreenDream Enterprises, specializing in renewable energy, green building, alternative transportation and lifestyle choices for both residential and commercial clients. The company is committed to helping people live lighter on the planet. Steve can be reached via e-mail at steve@greendream.biz. More information relating to this column is posted at www.greendream.biz.