Why sustainability matters at your wedding
When we think of weddings we picture the ceremony itself, the beautiful outfits, the happy friends and family, the dancing, and all of the food – of course! What we hardly ever think about is the sustainability of the special day. But weddings have an environmental footprint just like everything else in life. And it can impact in many different ways, from food waste to plastic use.
Here we’ll explore why sustainability matters at your wedding.
Weddings add to food waste
Food waste is an issue for sustainability because of the greenhouse gasses it emits as it breaks down. In fact, if the gasses from food waste were being emitted by a country it would put that country 3rd on the list of top emitters! As most guests don’t eat all three of their courses, think about reducing the number of courses or asking people for their preferences to be more sustainable.
Weddings add to plastic waste
We are gradually waking up to the impact that plastics are having on the environment. They don’t break down easily, but they do break up and enter the food chain as microplastics. These microplastics are then eaten by fish and can end up in our own stomachs. It’s been suggested that, by 2050, the amount of plastic floating in the world’s oceans will be bigger than the mass of the fish living in them!
Weddings can generate large amounts of plastic, from disposable cups, plates, and cutlery to wedding decorations and wrapping for favors. Using glass and china instead of plastic is just one simple way to be more sustainable.
Weddings add to the carbon footprint for travel
The increase of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere has created a warming effect that is resulting in the melting of the polar ice caps and many of the extreme weather events we are seeing around the world.
Unfortunately, weddings create a huge additional carbon footprint. In fact, they can release as many as 14.5 tonnes of CO2, which is almost as much as the average US citizen emits in a year. If you decide to have your wedding in a different country (or even a different part of the country), you and your guests will have to travel. While some destinations are reachable without flying, there are many beautiful wedding locations that can’t be. Added to this are the questions around where the wedding outfits are being made, and therefore have to be transported from, and even where your exotic flowers have come from. Making more sustainable choices can lower the overall carbon footprint of your wedding considerably.
Weddings are beautiful moments of celebration and love. But it’s important to consider that your celebration can contribute positively or negatively to our collective efforts to be more sustainable. Just being aware of the issues is the first step that can lead you to make sustainable choices – and create a beautiful experience which isn’t at the expense of the planet!
Info provided by :
“The Guide to Sustainable, Zero-Waste, Ethical Weddings”
https://www.77diamonds.com/sustainable-weddings