We Have Moved!

Dear friends,

I am delighted to announce that the Reading Room blog has moved to our new green wedding site.

The books are now available in our searchable eco-friendly products directory.

You can find green wedding articles, listen to my Green Wedding Interview on Sierra Club Radio, and find clips from tv interviews on our new Green Wedding News and Events page.

See what else we are up to by visiting the green bride guide homepage.

I hope you enjoy the new site!!

All the best,

Kate

Farms Are For Lovers

Here is a new article by the same woman who wrote How Green Was My Wedding. My husband and I held part of our wedding on a farm and it was wonderful - I am not sure that is the message here but Mia does a good job of documenting this new trend.

Ecological - Make Your Day Big Time Green

Kathryn Bechen mentioned The Green Bride Guide in her recent article in San Diego Style Weddings. This article also features the green wedding planning company Plan It Green and Wherever Shuttle - two great resources for couples in the San Diego area! Click here to read the article.

Clay Art for All Seasons: A Guide to Soft Clay Art

I recently came across a woman who makes the most amazing clay art flowers in Hawaii - DK Designs. While searching for other clay artists making eternal wedding bouquets I found Yukiko Miyai, who runs the Deco Clay Art Academy. Here work is outstanding and I think speaks for itself - so here are a few images form her website:





Her book has received rave reviews - check it out!

Eco-Chick

Starre Vartan is speaking in Hartford on Thursday at an event hosted by CT Green Scene. Starre is the author of the new book The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green and runs the website Eco-Chick.com.

In reviewing her book for Amazon, Meghan Meyers of Portovert - the leading green wedding magazine- wrote:

"This is, hands-down, the best green living guide I've read to-date. It is well-organized and approachable and filled with practical information for everyday living. You'll find budget-friendly tips to fix your home and easy-to-digest explanations of today's hot topics (i.e hybrid vs. PZEV vs. electric vehicles vs. fuel cells). I LOVE THIS BOOK. This is the first and last book you'll need to help you understand the eco issues facing us today."

Sounds great!

October Contest!

For the first time ever, The Green Bride Guide Online is offering monthly contests!

Only a few people have entered our October contest so far - so the chance to win is high!! The contest is for 80% off a CameraRenter package - worth almost $400.

Here is a short video about Camera Renter, a company that offers a great alternative to disposable cameras:

<a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=31345381-7ce5-4568-bf42-e9eb4f7058ea" target="_new" title="Tell Me More About CameraRenter">Video: Tell Me More About CameraRenter</a>

Even if you don't win, you can get a Free Archive CD by entering the code: 0.00_81thegreenbrideguide on the camera renter site.

Shopping for the Guilt-Free Diamond

Claire Frost and Jose Negroni brought this article about ethically-sourced diamonds to my attention. To read the article click here. To buy loose Canadian diamonds and to view other eco-friendly engagement ring options click here.

Earth Vows

The San Diego Local News recently ran a story by Pat Sherman featuring The Green Bride Guide and Pamela Noxon - who will host the first Green Bridal Show in San Diego on March 8, 2009. To see the text of the article click here.

Flowers for the Table

I rarely rave about flower books but I am so impressed with this one I felt compelled to include it in the reading room. If you are thinking of doing your own flowers or are looking for seasonal inspiration pick up a copy of Flowers for the Table: Arrangements and Bouquets for All Seasons.

Ariella Chezar is a master arranger, and incorporats fruit, vines and many unexpected items into her magnificent floral arrangements. If you want sustainable wedding flowers with an organic feel this is the book for you.

Here are a few pictures courtesy of Amazon:

To buy her book click the link below:

Hello Cupcake

My brother called me today raving about a new booked called "Hello Cupcake." It offers clever, fun and EASY cupcake designs - perfect for any DIY wedding. No special tools required. As one reviewer wrote, "Wow, wow, and WOW! This veritable encyclopedia of "mini-cake" decorating is so fun and easy that there is absolutely no excuse for anyone to lament "they can't". With the use of food items found anywhere, you will be making the cutest, and most impressive cupcake creations you can possibly think of, and Karen and Alan will make you legendary to boot! "

I downloaded these adorable and illustrative images from Amazon.

If you are interested in reading more about why cupcakes are green click here.

How to Be a Budget Organic

My mother - an avid reader of Prevention Magazine - sent me this article today on how to make thrifty organic food choices. It is a quick informative read on how to prioritize on a tight budget. Click here to read the article online.

NEW UK Green Wedding Book

I just got wind of a new green wedding book coming out in August in the UK - How To Get Married In Green. For those of you reading this on the other side of the puddle - hopefully Suzan will have lots of local tips to share!

Interested in Biodiesel?

Here is a new book about how biodiesel can help us fight global warming.

From thir website:

"Let's set things straight!

In America, we use gasoline in our cars primarily, but diesel engines drive all of our service vehicles from school buses to garbage trucks, construction equipment, marine, planes, trains and hundreds of thousands of semi's shipping food and goods each day. Thats alot of pertroleum, and alot of pollution!
Biodiesel is petroleum FREE, and will double the life of an engine and reduce carbon emmissions by 78%!

And biodiesel can be produced in abundance, close to home, without harming our food crops or precious rainforest!"

You can download this book as an MP3 too - which has even less impact on the environment. Click the image below to learn more.

Green Business Reads

Yesterday a reader suggested that I include a couple of good green business book suggestions. One book that has gotten a lot of attention is Green to Gold.

Dan Esty (one of the co-authors) is the only faculty member at Yale who is a joint professor with the Forestry School and Yale Law School. He is the Director of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy as well as the Yale World Fellows Program.

"Every business, big or small, in manufacturing or services, faces environmental risks and opportunities. Esty and Winston show how companies have benefited from taking these challenges as strategic opportunities, but they also detail why corporate environmental initiatives often fall flat. There are important lessons to be learned from both the successes and the failures."-Bertrand Collomb, Chairman, Lafarge (Bertrand Collomb )

The other book that was recommended to me is Green Business: A Five-part Model for Creating an Environmentally Responsible Company.

As one reviewer wrote:

This is a large-format, coffee-table book that makes a colorful and enjoyable introduction to the basic elements of enhancing sustainability for any type of business. It is written at a more basic level and is successful in giving a broad overview of the range of typical sustainbility practices:
+ Greening your mission
+ Greening your employees
+ Greening your operations
+ Greening your facilities/sites
+ Greening your products/service

It's a Nice Day for a Green Wedding

The Advocate, one of my favorite CT papers, ran an article today about green weddings that mentions The Green Bride Guide. It has lots of great ideas - especially for NY and CT brides. Click here to read it.

Natural Cleaning

Having just added a number of non-toxic cleaning supplies to the look book, I thought it would be helpful to add a book on natural cleaning. In addition to the "over-the-counter" or pre-made cleaning supplies I highlight in the look book you can also make a number of effective natural home cleaners using everyday items (like vinegar). A great book on this topic is Nontoxic, Natural & Earthwise. For a more modern take try Green Up Your Cleanup.



While I am promoting cleaning books, I have to add my fathers personal bible. While it is not a specifically non-toxic book, it has effective cleaning solutions for almost every common problem. Based on this book, my father has developed a reputation among friends and family members as "the stain master." Now his secrets are revealed.

Volunteer Vacations

Although not for everyone, more and more couples are taking volunteer honeymoons. Even if you are not interested in going on a volunteer trip for your wedding, you might be interested in taking a volunteer vacation at some point in the next few years. If so - I recommend checking out some of the amazing opportunities recommended in "Volunteer Vacations: Short-Term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Others."

That Buzz in Your Ear May Be Green Noise - New York Times

Yesterday Gail wrote in asking me about how to ensure you find eco-friendly products. Today I read an article from last week's New York Times describing the feeling of "burnout" people seeking environmentally friendly choices sometimes feel.

Click here to read "That Buzz in Your Ear May Be Green Noise"

This article offers some good resources to help you prioritize. I also recommend the book Hey Mr. Green - which tackles many of little questions about which choices are best for daily living.

Love, Honor, Leave No Carbon Footprint

Today's New York Times had a nice article on green honeymoons today. Click here to check it out.

Green Gardening

Summer is here and gardens in CT are in full bloom. If you find yourself struggling with bugs and weeds every summer - before you reach for the usual arsenal of chemicals consider some of the many highly effective organic and natural alternatives. For a good primer on the how to of organic gardening try Burpee : The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener : A Guide to Growing Your Garden Organically. For a more sophisticated guide to insect and disease control check out The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control: A Complete Problem-Solving Guide to Keeping Your Garden and Yard Healthy Without Chemicals.



To find organic seeds and saplings click here.

Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style

Christie Matheson, the author of Green Chic, is a veteran writer. Her work has appeared in Body & Soul, Glamour, Shape, Boston, San Francisco, Yoga Journal, and The Boston Globe Magazine. She is also the author of four books (listed below) and an accomplished photographer.

in Green Chic, Christie offers fun practical tips for living a greener life. As the author of Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash, Elizabeth Royte, wrote: "Matheson slyly steers us toward consumer goods and services that minimize our earth-stomping human footprint. She's brave enough to say 'buy less of everything,' and even the politically fraught 'buy nothing.' Matheson's genius is to make this seem not only doable, but fun."

This is a great book to buy for yourself or as a gift for a friend.

Check out Christie's other books:

The Busy Brides Essential Wedding Checklists

Worried you will forget something? Why reinvent the wheel?

"The Busy Bride's Essential Wedding Checklists vastly outdoes its competition with attention to detail, complete question lists, more realistic suggestions and presenting topics to the bride in the order in which she will need them."

Made for the 21st Century (the age of online planning)everything you need to do and more in one little book.

Name Change Kit

Many people (men and women) today change their names when they get married. Whether one or both of you is making a change, you will quickly discover it is a royal "pain in the patoot," as my mother would say. It can also be time consuming and costly. Newlyweds run into the most trouble when they try to use an old passport and a new name on their honeymoon - but there are many documents that need updating (like your social security card) that can easily slip your mind or fall off the bottom of your to do list.

When I got married I decided, for a number of reasons that I will not go into here, to take my husband's last name but to retain my maiden name, Harrison, for work. When six months had passed and I had made very little headway, I ordered The Ultimate Name Change Kit and was very pleased with the package. It is green because it saves you hours of thinking and internet surfing, is available as a PDF download and is tailored to your state. In addition to providing all the forms you need it also gives you a complete check list of all of the people and places you will need to contact about the switch as well as a step by step guide with very helpful tips (like make 10 copies of your marriage license right off the bat).

You can click on the image above to order your kit today.

Green Investing

We can all see which way the winds of the economy are blowing and the time to invest in renewable energy has arrived. If you want a basic primer on investment tools and green options I recommend Socially Responsible Investing, by Ami Domini. If you are more interested in green stocks - try Green Investing.

Anti-Bride Guides

One reader who bought the Offbeat Bride recommends another "alternative wedding" book - the Anti-Bride Guide:

"Into a sea of pearl white and pale blue comes the hot pink and orange Anti-Bride Guide. The perfect book for anyone alienated by the high-brow wedding industry, this practical guide fills a huge gap in the wedding planner market. A riot to read and filled with sassy illustrations, each chapter offers up fabulous advice and unusual ideas for those brides looking for more than the standard fare. Hundreds of fantastic tips give great insider advice on how to deal with any and all wedding eventualities (lipstick stain on dress, caterer from hell, wedding day breakout). A handy planner and resource guide keeps the bride on track, and tabbed chapters have pockets for stuffing brochures and clippings. For the bride who wants her wedding her way, this is the ultimate guide. " - Amazon

Now the Anti-Bride Guide has additional books to cover every aspect of the big day.

50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth

This is a new twist on an old favorite. This time...

"The authors have teamed up with 50 of America's top environmental groups, including The Natural Resources Defense Council, the National Wildlife Federation, and Rainforest Action Network. Each group has chosen one issue and provided a simple, step-by-step program that will empower you and your family to become citizen activists in the fight to save the Earth.

It's easy to get started. Just pick one!
Fight global warming "one city at a time" with the Sierra Club's Cool Cities Campaign
Roll up your sleeves and save an endangered species with the Wilderness Society
Protect coral reefs and create a marine reserve with Seacology
Get your congregation excited about protecting God's creations with Interfaith Power and Light
Invite songbirds into your neighborhood with the National Audubon Society"

This book is a great one to have around the house or to give to a niece, nephew or child.

How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

Mark Bittman writes "The Minimalist" column for The New York Times. My father swears by his recipes -which are reliably easy and delicious. If you plan to cook for your wedding or just want easy recipes to give your caterer consider picking these up.

To Buy or Not to Buy Organic by Cindy Burke

This book as gotten excellent reviews. It was written by journalist and former chef Cindy Burke. She distills some of the politics of the organic food movement and reviews key terms like organic, local, sustainable and grass-fed. She also tells you what to buy and what not to buy. Good for those of us who like answers.

Red Sky at Morning by Gus Speth

This book, written by the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies' dean Gus Speath is a roadmap for global action on climate change. As one Amazon review wrote:

"This book deserves ten stars. It is more important than the sacrosanct Silent Spring. It is impossible to overstate this book's importance."

Raising Baby Green by Alan Greene

I have bought this book for several friends - it is easy to read and has lots of practical advice for expecting and seasoned mothers alike. If you or the person you are thinking of buying this book for are also interested in making your own baby food - I recommend the The Petit Appetit Cookbook by Lisa Barnes.

The Creative Jewish Wedding Book: A Hands-On Guide to New & Old Traditions, Ceremonies & Celebrations

I used this book for my wedding and thought it was very helpful - particularly in thinking about the ceremony. It has lots of how to projects and creative ideas that would work well for Jewish and non-Jewish weddings alike.

It offers(quoted form Amazon):
- Insights and reflections from a broad range of couples who have created their own distinctive weddings
- Practical hands-on techniques and ideas for creating many of the ritual objects connected to a Jewish wedding from designing your own ketubah, to making paper for invitations, to fashioning the chuppah
- How to express your spiritual life and values through your ceremony
- An up-to-date guide to wedding resources in the Jewish world

Cell Phone Recycling

Do you plan to get a new iPhone? Or have an old phone you just don't need? You can look up cell phone recycling centers in your area by clicking here.

Wool Remains Cool

Click here to read the article about why wool and silk products are sustainable choices.

Kosher Cooking

If you want to have a kosher wedding reception and you are thinking about cooking some of the food yourself, or just want ideas to give your caterer, consider picking up one of the following contemporary kosher cookbooks.

1. Kosher By Design Entertains: Fabulous Recipes For Parties And Every Day
"Building on her popular Kosher by Design, Fishbein leads readers through an array of extremely doable kosher options, covering finger foods to main dishes to desserts, while giving suggestions for organizing a menu, decorating a table and serving foods. International offerings like Pesce Arrabbiatta, Moroccan Short Ribs, and Caribbean Jerk Chicken appear alongside variations on familiar classics, such as Mexican Gefilte Fish, Strawberry Apple Kugel, and Mexican Brisket. The author is hip to trendy food items such as edamame, olive tapenade, fennel and porcini mushrooms, reinforcing this cookbook's value: yes, every dish is kosher, but far from old-fashioned. "



2. Quick & Kosher - Recipes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing
"This is the hilarious story of Jamie Geller, a spunky young TV exec who came into marriage and kosher cooking without knowing a spatula from a saucepan. Determined to master cooking, yet pressed for time, she was dismayed to find that most cookbooks consider an hour of preparation time quick, and presumed more culinary skill than many of us have. So Jamie set out to compile her own special collection of quick and easy recipes and Quick & Kosher is the result of her quest. This one-of-a-kind cookbook contains more than 160 recipes requiring no more than 15 minutes to prepare, 120 full-color photos, clear step-by-step instructions, reliable prep and cooking times, tips and techniques, and advice on pairing wines with various dishes. Recipes range from traditional to exotic, and are well indexed and cross-referenced."


3. Hip Kosher: 175 Easy-to-Prepare Recipes for Today's Kosher Cooks
"This book is a great find - from fun recipes filled with loads of learning made easy. I look forward to flipping through the pages and finding a new recipe to try - they've all been hits with our friends so far. Easy to follow - definitely well tested - and they all paste the taste test of top notch food! Thank you, Ms. Ronnie Fein, for bringing this book to us!" - AS.R. Crow

Lisa Rainwater and Andy Mele

Look -another green wedding in the Times! Click here to read the article about how these two environmental activists fell in love.

Lisa Rainwater is the policy director for Riverkeeper and Andy Mele was the executive director of Clearwater. He also wrote a book about the impact of boating on water quality:



Click here to read more about their wedding.

A Greener Apple

Okay - so electronics probably aren't the first thing you think of when you think "green," but that does not stop us from buying them. Therefore, I thought you might be interested to know about some of the things one of the greener electronic companies are doing. Click here to read about how Apple is leading the way.

If you are looking for a new phone, Blackberry or iPod, consider getting an all-in-one iPhone and reduce the number of devices you need...



Or be even greener and buy refurbished (aka recycled) products...



Remember, when your old electronics break don't throw them away! Google your state's name and the words "e-waste recycling" or "cell phone recycling" etc. to find local drop off points for everything form microwaves to old televisions.

Arnold Grummer's Complete Guide to Paper Casting

Interested in making your own table decor or favor? Consider paper casting.

"This new book offers readers clear, step-by-step instructions, tips, and techniques for the craft of paper casting. Covers the basics of casting, drying, tinting, and surface finishing, as well as project ideas for making paper casts with readily available molds and rubber stamps. Readers will also learn how to make their own molds with everyday objects, such as brass plates, bowls, shells, leaves, and paw prints. Paper-casted bowls, plaques, and other items can be decorated and embellished to suit any home décor." - Amazon

Arnold Grummer's Complete Guide to Easy Papermaking

Interested in making your own invitations or save-the-dates? Check out this book from the definitive expert!

"Master papermaker Grummer (Tin Can Papermaking) presents a detailed and well-illustrated guide to recycling all sorts of wastepaper into one-of-a-kind handmade paper. Home papermaking can be done with easily obtained equipment such as a blender. The techniques are all well laid out with good illustrations and explanations of the properties of paper. Practice projects are included. This complete guide is highly recommended for crafts collections." - Amazon

Arnold Grummer also offers a complete line of paper making supplies - see the DIY page for two of their most popular kits.

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

I loved this book. Well researched and compellingly written, Schlosser does a very good job of explaining why our food system is the way it is - and why Americans are so overweight as a result. I would not say it is a beach read, but it is probably as close as a non-fiction book about food can get and still be powerful.

A few quick reviews:

Atlanta Journal Constitution
"'Fast Food Nation' should be another wake-up call, a super-size serving of common sense...."

The New York Times
"...Schlosser is a serious and diligent reporter..." "[Fast Food Nation] is a fine piece of muckraking, alarming without beling alarmist." - Rob Walker, NYTBR 1/21/01

Publishers Weekly, Starred
"Schlosser establishes a seminal argument for the true wrongs at the core of modern America."



If you prefer movies, or just want to add some visuals to the mix and have not seen Supersize Me - it is must see TV.

Paper Flower Books

After seeing the entry on How to Make Flowers with Dennison Crepe Paper, one reader suggested a few other paper flower books which I am happy to share:

Fanciful Paper Flowers: Creative Techniques for Crafting an Enchanted Garden

From amazon:
Eleven different paper flower-making techniques, three projects for each, all developed by a proven author with an enchanting, whimsical, flea-market-meets-fantasy sensibility: that’s what makes this volume so irresistible. Sandra Evertson follows up her Fanciful Paper Projects with a fabulously feminine collection of paper flower jewelry, garlands, barrettes, hatpins, ornaments, and decorative objects ... Each chapter features a page from her very own sketchbook, plus she’s provided several pages of vintage ephemera, templates, and her original papers for readers to copy and use... this collection truly offers a garden of artistic possibilities!



Paper Bouquet: Using Paper Punches to Create Beautiful Flowers

From Amazon:
Cherry blossoms, forsythia, marigolds, and petunias: Who would have imagined you could recreate such gorgeous blooms with just paper and craft punches? ... Using her own original, unique techniques, Susan Tierney Cockburn offers 40 beloved flowers to make for decorating gifts and home décor. She teaches the simple basics, including paper manipulation, gluing, and coloring, and presents her flowers as colorfully as they’re found in nature. From A (Amaryllis) to Z (Zinnia), there’s a bountiful bouquet of blooms to choose from! Photographs document every step, and a visual template of the punches accompanies each flower. A dozen sample projects range from picture frames to wreaths.



I also recently came across Origami Flowers: Popular Blossoms and Creative Bouquets which looks fantastic!



You can do these projects with leftover and recycled paper from your house or use colorful origami paper made from rice (link available on the DIY page of the look book).

Happy crafting!

How to Have a Freegan Wedding - Meghan Meyers

One of the things I talk about in my book is the myth that green weddings cost more than conventional weddings - they can actually cost less. In fact - according to Meghan Meyers, of Portovert, you can now have a wedding that costs almost nothing. She just posted two articles on how to have a freegan wedding (without going into the dumpster per se). Check them out!

How to Have a Freegan Wedding - at Portovert.
How to Have a Freegan Wedding - at Wikihow.

Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry by Stacy Malkan

Stacy Malkan is speaking at Yale tonight to read from her new book "Not Just a Pretty Face." It looks like an informative and timely read:

From Amazon:
Product Description
Lead in lipstick? 1,4 dioxane in baby soap? Coal tar in shampoo? How is this possible? Simple. The $35 billion cosmetics industry is so powerful they’ve kept themselves unregulated for decades. Not Just a Pretty Face chronicles the quest that led a group of health and environmental activists to the world’s largest cosmetics companies to ask some tough questions:

Why do companies market themselves as pink ribbon leaders in the fight against breast cancer, yet use hormone-disrupting and carcinogenic chemicals that may contribute to that very disease?
Why do products used by men and women of childbearing age contain chemicals linked to birth defects and infertility?
As doors slammed in their faces and the beauty myth peeled away, the industry’s toxic secrets began to emerge. This scathing investigation peels away less-than-lovely layers to expose an industry in dire need of an extreme makeover. The good news is that while the major multinational companies fight for their right to use hazardous chemicals, entrepreneurs are developing safer non-toxic technologies and building businesses on the values of health, justice and personal empowerment.


About the Author
Stacy Malkan is Communications Director of Health Care Without Harm and media strategist for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a national coalition working to eliminate hazardous chemicals from personal care products. Stacy is a former journalist and newspaper publisher who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Making a Vow to Wed "Green"

(Click Here to link to the page above)

Joshua Houdek and Kristi Papenfus, who were featured in the New York Time's article How Green Was My Wedding with us, just sent me a link to a news segment about green weddings they were in on Kare 11. They were recently in a piece on MSNBC as well.

They have done an amazing job getting the word out about how easy it is to be green!

Kristi + Joshua - you guys rock! Thank you for sharing.

P.s. Did I mention that Joshua works for the Sierra Club?...

(do it for Joshua)

The Tofu Tollbooth - by Elizabeth Zipern + Dar Williams

The Tofu Tollbooth is considered a bible for vegetarian and vegan travel. It lists restaurants, health food stores and other naturally inclined venues by state:

"The guide contains more than 1,000 health-food options, and for each site, the concise write-ups contain address and phone number, directions from the highways (a wonderful addition), hours of operation, and the parade of cute icons that let you know what to expect to find there (once you memorize that the face with beret stands for café, the carrot in a glass denotes juice bar, and the hot pepper means an especially hot tip)." - Amazon.com

This book is not only good for road trips - it can also help you find sources of natural food for your wedding!


If you like folk music and do not own any of Dar Williams albums I also highly recommend checking out some of her CDs:



You can also download her music directly from iTunes