Interviews with Green Vendors
Why not support green vendors in the event and wedding business? Here are some interview questions I’ve asked vendors to answer so you can learn a little more about our sustainable ways and the great work many folks are doing:
Tasha’s Designs
I’ve slowly been coming across more green and sustainable invitation options out there in the sustainable event and wedding world. I am always impressed by small business owners who were startups turned artists, or vice versa. Maybe they were always an artist, but something in their life changed or they changed their own life’s course and let their creative imagination and sustainable thinking run a business. It reminds me of my own story just a little.
Here’s a great small business doing sustainable designed invitations: Tasha Rae Designs. I asked the owner, Tasha Fontanes, to answer some of my green and catchy questions about her business and her life. Check out some of her designs, her cool story and how she works green into her business:
I like the play on the tree carving a couple might do, signifying the lasting commitment of a relationship etched into a old tree. Very Romantic.
this one’s my favorite, mostly because of the large colorful flowers, kind of like in a kaleidoscope
1. Why did you start your invitation/stationary business and why did you decide to offer sustainable/eco-friendly designs?
I started designing invitations as a hobby after I had printed my own wedding invitations. About a year into it, fate stepped in when I got laid off from my full-time job just a week before I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. So I decided to dive in head first and start my own business. I added earth-friendly invitations about 5 years ago when people were becoming more aware of the fact that we need to clean up our planet. The demand for earth-friendly invites has grown tremendously over the last 5 years and now I would say about 85% of my customers request recycled papers (and I try to talk the other 15% into using them as well!)
2. In what ways is your business sustainable?
I offer a wide variety of recycled and earth-friendly papers, I reuse the packaging that my paper comes in to package my final products and I recycle ink cartridges through a program that sends money or school supplies to my daughter’s school. I also plant a tree at the end of each month through www.americanforests.org for each earth-friendly order. Another thing that is important in my sustainable business deals with the customers themselves. Instead of charging my customers for samples, I ask them to make a small donation to the charity of their choice. Amazing things can happen when you ‘pay it forward’. My business has thrived based on this idea so I am proof that it really works!
3. How would you define sustainable living?
I think an important part of sustainable living revolves around the way you treat the people around you as well as the world around you. I am a firm believer in ‘what goes around, comes around’ and I try to apply it to all parts of my life. Whether it’s by recycling or just doing something nice for someone, so they in turn pass it on. If we all take care of each other and the earth, we will live happier and healthier lives.
4. What do you think is the biggest barrier in getting people to choose green wedding options including invites?
I think sometimes people get stuck in old traditions or etiquette and have a hard time breaking out of the mold. Invitations do not have to be engraved to be elegant. Reply postcards are OK and cut down on paper waste. I tell people that recycled papers may vary a little and have some inconsistencies but this is what make them unique and beautiful.
5. What is the most un-green or unsustainable event or wedding practice that you can think of or have seen in your experience?
Well – I think people are getting smarter about this now, but I would say a lot of people still waste a lot on useless wedding ‘favors’. I LOVE the new ‘greener’ trends… making a donation to a charity in lieu of favors, giving guests seed packets to plant or writing a personal note to each guest (on recycled paper of course!).
6. Let’s pretenf for a moment that you could create one green/eco-friendly invention in your life (that worked, no matter how unbelievable) what would it be?
I think since I am a work at home mom (my daughter is long out of diapers, but thinking back in time…) it would have to be a diaper that just disappears into thin air…you don’t have to throw it away or wash it. Just take it off the baby and poof it’s gone!
Since we’ve already received an invention for a sustainable diaper (which isn’t surprising, since 27.4 billion disposable diapers are used each year in the US, resulting in a possible 3.4 million tons of used diapers adding to landfills each year, a fact shared in a recent Time Magazine article in 2008) She emailed me an additional highly needed green invention:
how about a solar powered robot that cleans the house! 
In green, clean houses, and health,
G&G
An Interview with Earthly Affair
A fellow blogger, and one of the go-to gals I have listed on GorgeousandGreen for green event inspiration, is Jennifer from Earth Friendly Weddings. Apart from her creative blogging skills, she is also responsible for Earthly Affair, a green invitation business. They offer two earth-friendly papers for their invites: One is a 100% pcw, using no new trees and the other is a cotton paper, FSC certified for responsible forest management and made of partially recycled content.
Take a look at some of the whimsical, romantic and clean designs they provide:
This one is my favorite. I love the large graphic flowers.
I asked her some questions about her own wedding, her business and sustainable weddings. Check out what she had to say:
1. Why did you start your business and how did you decide to get involved in Earth Friendly Weddings…
Earthly Affair was created after the planning of my own wedding. While searching for invitations, I noticed a lack of truly earth friendly and stylish invitations for today’s modern bride. I decided to design my own invitations and that’s when the idea was born. Nearly one year later, we launched our site and started selling eco-friendly, customizable invitations online!
2. I noticed you recently planned your own Green Wedding, what did you do to make it sustainable and green?
I have to admit, I didn’t start out planning a green wedding. Our plan was to keep the wedding fairly simple and as the planning process intensified, I became determined to make more sustainable choices. We held it at a beautiful and historic antebellum house in the city that also acted as a restaurant. Our ceremony and reception were both held there, so guests didn’t have to travel from one event to another. Apart from the flowers, all of the decor was either rented or available to us from our venue, reducing unnecessary waste. The one thing I purchased for decoration was a set of letters that spelled out “LOVE,” and even those were re-used for my friend’s wedding and they now reside as decoration in her home. I was hesitant about favors, but in the end I decided to create something that I thought people would keep. I spent hours researching and printing romantic quotes to put on little favor boxes, which we then filled with chocolate bought in bulk. Those were a big hit and most people loved them.
3. How would you define sustainable living?
Sustainable living is respecting that which we depend on. I’ve always believed this and although it’s a somewhat cheesy outlook, I think if people took the time to realize how lucky we are to have such a beautiful earth, which is our home, there would be a lot less problems in the world.
4. What do you think is the biggest barrier in getting couples to choose a green wedding?
A big barrier is the misconception that it costs more. In some cases, they’re right, but with a little extra work and patience, it doesn’t have to be.
5. What is the most un-green or insustainable wedding practice that you can think of or have seen in your experience?
I’ve never witnessed any one thing, but putting sentimental feelings aside, the wedding dress is pretty unsustainable. Many resources go into making this overpriced jungle of fabric and then we only wear it once. I don’t have much room to talk though. I bought a brand new dress for my wedding and it’s still hanging in my closet. There is a conflict of emotions there because while I know it’s highly unsustainable, I fell in love with it and wasn’t able to let go.
6. Let’s pretend for a moment that you could create one green invention in your life (that worked) what would it be?
Would teleportation be green? I love to travel, but I know how horrible air and car travel is for the environment. Of course, the thought of actually being teleported is a different story, but the convenience factor is hard to deny. I wonder if we would run into each other mid-teleport and end up with someone else’s legs or arms…
If you get the chance, do look at her blog and check out those lovely invitations if you’re holding an event or wedding. I know they are doing a lot to be eco-friendly, and as a fellow greenie I can vouch for their strong values and sustainable methods. Take a look at some of the ways they are acting as a sustainable business:
- they offset co2 emissions resulting from our shipments and our business through carbonfund.org.
- they donate a portion of our profits to environmental projects.
- they recycle or reuse everything we can.
- they implement energy saving practices
- they compost and/or recycle leftover paper scraps.
- they reuse shipping supplies or materials.
If only I needed wedding invitations….
In Green, Party and Health,
G&G
Sustainable and Organic Cakes in Santa Cruz
I love finding sustainable and organic vendors who are local. It brightens my day to know that there are vendors that people can go to right in their neighborhood who can help them create a beautiful and often tasty meal or party. One sustainable baker in the Santa Cruz area, who’s name you might here in local circles, is Edith Meyer. Her cakes are artful and taste fantastic. Take a look:
This cake looks so decadent, and the berries are so festive and enticing.
I love the simple lines of this cake, very architectural. I imagine it going well with a garden party at Gatsby’s house.
A few other cake designs that I really love are also featured on her website:
chocolate with cherry blossoms
powder blue with sugar ranunculus
Edith Meyer was lovely enough to answer my usual set of questions about sustainable living, weddings and business. Take a look at her answers to my questions about why she started and how sustainability fits into weddings and living:
1. Why did you start your business and how did you decide to get involved in making organic/sustainable cakes?
One of my best friends who knew I liked to bake asked me to make her wedding cake. And it turned out to be a five-tiered, hand-painted, fondant-covered, crazy-elaborate undertaking. But I LOVED it. And it turns out that most wedding cakes actually aren’t good – all the focus is on the design.
So I started the business to provide great-tasting cakes and desserts for weddings. An organic focus is honestly just a part of my lifestyle, which happens to translate very organically (pardon the pun) into the best-tasting products. You want your guests to enjoy every aspect of the wedding, and the dessert should be a part of that!
2. How would you define sustainable living?
In the most simple of terms, we need to be conscious of the impact that we have on the world around us, and take steps in as many areas of our lives as we can to reduce our negative impact.
3. What do you think is the biggest barrier in getting couples to choose a green/sustainable wedding?
Hm. My first instinct is to say cost, but I don’t think that is really it. People see weddings as the one day when it IS about them, and when they CAN splurge, so they often don’t want to make compromises like wearing a recycled dress or having a few less pieces of beautiful paper in the invitations. And I can understand that. (Although I think hemp silk dresses like those at conscious clothing should change EVERYONE’S mind!! ) Maybe choose SOME sustainable elements, like centerpieces, flowers, favors, and feel really good about those choices.
Lack of education is a barrier – people are still learning what “green” really means with respect to weddings. And there are some murky areas, like carbon offsets for your traveling guests. I don’t think I’d recommend them until there is more transparency about where the money goes.
Luckily, as the green movement gathers steam there is a cache in identifying with it, and couples who live sustainably clearly want that reflected in their weddings. So I think the barriers are getting smaller.
There is NO barrier when it comes to edibles, I think (lucky for me!). Organic just tastes better, period. So spending a little more on food and dessert that tastes AMAZING is worth it to most people – they want to honor the guests who have come to honor the two of THEM, and serving a great meal is the best way to do that.
I honestly cannot tell you the number of clients who have been to a number of cake tastings, and after one bite they’re sold. It is THAT different.
4. How is your business green/sustinable? What do you wish you could do or >have to make it more green or better for people and the planet?
Since day one, all of our cakes’ ingredients are organic, and we source locally whenever possible. We work with local farmers to source everything from eggs and butter to berries and vegetables. Even our chocolates and coffee beans are organic and fair-trade.
My office is completely solar-powered; we recycle and compost everything we can – I even have a recycled-bottle cover for my iPhone (thank you, Agent 18! ).
My transportation is NOT hybrid, because a) it’s older and paid for and I don’t want to scrap it until it’s necessary, and b) because the battery issues with hybrids still aren’t ideal, I think. So I guess I wish I could have a teleportation device to just magically appear at far-away venues, cakes in hand.
5. What is the most un-green or unsustainable wedding practice that you can >think of or have seen in your experience?
As cool as they are, I think destination weddings to remote islands are pretty consumptive. Luckily they’re also usually pretty small, so let’s hope that helps offset the impact.
6. Let’s pretend for a moment that you could create one green invention in your life (that worked) what would it be?
Hm – what a difficult, broad question. Tiny, incredibly efficient, non-polluting, affordable power sources for everyone? Tricky! In the meantime, we can all just manage ourselves as thoughtfully as possible.
Thanks Edith for your answers and artistic talent!
G&G
An Interview with Indie Cakes
A little while ago, I introduced myself to a local cake baker, Anastasia, with Indie Cakes here in Oakland. I’ve gotten to know her a little more and was able to get some details about her and her business. She’s sustainable, small, local and her baked goods are sooo good! We were able to hang out a little while ago at my house and she was nice enough to bring mini cupcakes in many different flavors. Yum Yum. They look so cute and their natural organic flavors were scrumptious. Take a look :
Here’s a closer look. From left to right, there’s lemon, red velvet with cream cheese frosting, banana and raspberry.
Here’s what she had to say about her business and sustainable living:
1. Why did you start your business and how did you decide to get involved in making Organic cakes?
I love baking and can’t think of anything else I would do for living. I started my business because I wanted some flexibility with working hours. I have a 10-year-old daughter and I believe it’s a critical time for me to be available for her.
My decision to make cakes with organic and local ingredients is an extension to the choices I make in my personal life. I buy and cook organic food, so it only makes sense to me to sell products that I would eat and serve to my family. I also want to support local producers, keep the local economy going and do my part to save the environment.
2. How would you define sustainable living?
To me, sustainable living starts with being mindful of my life and how my choices will impact those around me. I define sustainable living as being resourceful, finding ways to reuse and not waste and cutting down on consumerism.
3. What do you think is the biggest barrier in getting couples to choose a green/sustainable wedding?
I think the biggest barrier for couples to choose a green/sustainable wedding is their their awareness of how much their weddings affect the environment. Once they believe that they can make a difference, green wedding will be the only way to go.
4. How is your business green/sustinable? What do you wish you could do or have to make it more green or better for people and the planet?
I use organic and local ingredients. Any packaging I use, which is very little, is unbleached and the fiber comes from Sustainable Forestry Initiative lumber. For more info about these wonderful products visit here . I recycle all plastic, milk and egg cartons, paper, etc. I’m also looking into composting. I always try my best to not be wasteful. For example, I use egg whites for my buttercreams. The egg yolks will go into making lemon curd, pastry creams, or vanilla buttercakes. I use any extra batter to make tasting samples. Nothing goes into waste.
One thing I wish to have someday is a hybrid or electric car. My car now is old but runs really well. It goes with my motto of if it still works, use it.
5. What is the most un-green or unsustainable wedding practice that you can think of or have seen in your experience?
Destination weddings. All the time, effort, and resources to put these weddings together and to fly all the guests and, sometimes, the materials over are all unnesccesary and avoidable.
6. Let’s pretend for a moment that you could create one green invention in your life (that worked) what would it be?
I had this idea when my daughter was very young to create a cloth diaper that’s (almost) as convenient as paper diapers. I use cloth diapers for her and found that putting on a diaper and the cover is a 2-step process and then having 2 items to wash (that didn’t stop me for using it for 3 years, though). On the other hand, paper diapers come in one easy step. I would like to see a cloth diaper that has a built in cover, all in one piece, only one thing to wash, made with organic cotton.
For more information about her sustainable practices or to order a cake contact:
Anastasia Widiarsih www.indiecakes.com
