Having a Green Event - Part One: Food

Submitted By: Lara Molettiere, Cameo Event, LLC

If you are having a wedding or special event, you probably have not thought about the environmental impact it may have. So here are a few basic points of interest. The average wedding alone produces between 14.5 and 22 tons of CO2 - that is a lot of greenhouse gas and a huge carbon footprint. That number actually increases for weekend long events like destination weddings. So if you want to lessen the environmental impact of your wedding, I will be covering different ways you can reduce your special event's carbon footprint. This post is about food... one of the most important parts of any celebration.

How do you make green (no, that doesn't mean you have to have only veggies) choices for your special event menu? Look for caterers who utilize local and organically grown produce and meats that are in season. You will not believe how fresh and fabulous your food will be. And you not only help the environment by doing this, you help your local economy by supporting small businesses and local farms. Make sure your caterer understands you want all local and organic products used, not partially local (ie. it got flown in the day before you event from a neighboring state as air travel is one of the highest carbon emitting ways to travel or ship things) so that you and your guests have the best and freshest possible dishes. Also look for a caterer who will provide To Go Boxes of food for the wedding party and will recycle all the glass, metal, and plastics as well as compost the leftover food. That way everyone benefits including you! If you are local to Atlanta, check out Parsley's Catering in Marietta.

What about the beverage side of your menu? Well, if you have not had organic or bio-dynamically grown wines, you are in for a treat. Napa Valley has some of the best local vineyards that produce great and environmentally friendly wines. Most can be found at your local liquor store where you will receive a discount on cases (bonus!) and you will also be able to find organic vodka, scotch, and several other liquors are joining the green movement. Check out Robert Sinskey for amazing eco friendly wines and they have great pairing recipes to go with them! Go to Starbucks for fair trade certified coffee and tea for your non-alcoholic selections. Check out their web site to learn more about their fair trade practices.

What about Wedding cake? If you have never had an organic cake you should expect it to taste even better than any other cake you have ever had. The less processed flour has a slightly heavier texture, but the butter is preservative free so you get the yumminess of butter without the oily taste or the metallic aftertaste, because the eggs are fresher and are not full of pesticides and antibiotics its fluffier and richer than most cakes. All around, organic pastry products are twice as yummy as their over processed counterparts. Check out Dulce Vegan for organic vegan creations in Atlanta that are delicious! If you haven't tried their cupcakes you have to go by!

Enjoy your earth friendly celebrations!

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