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What a great way to show your guests how much you care about saving our environment while also inspiring everyone to get involved on their own. GiveTreeGifts.com offers numerous types of gifts with great packaging options as well.

*Photos Courtesy of GiveTreeGifts.com

*Photo Courtesy of Nurseryman

The potted herb DIY wedding favors which also serves as a name cards.

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]]> http://belladestinee.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=1856 0 http://belladestinee.com/blog/?p=1490 http://belladestinee.com/blog/?p=1490#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2010 04:37:06 +0000 Ana Vick http://belladestinee.com/blog/?p=1490 .

The newest disposable dinnerware to hit the Eco-friendly market looks surprisingly modern and chic and comes in all different sizes and shapes: round, hexagonal, square, rectangular and even heart shaped!

photo from Leafware

They aren’t just attractive and functional for picnics and big family gatherings, this new form of disposable dinnerware, produced by the company Leafware from fallen leaves, is also better for the environment.

photo from Leafware

I have seen these twice now and had been wishing I bought them the first time, so when I saw them at the Santa Monica Promenade Earth Day I picked up two packs of the square plates in dinner and dessert sizes. Not sure yet what party I will plan with them, but maybe a Mother’s Day brunch to celebrate my mother while honoring mother nature. My mom is the one who taught me about recycling and protecting the Earth after all!

picture from Leafware

Whatever the occasion, you will surely feel better about feeding your guests off these plates, which will go back into the Earth instead of clogging up a landfill like other disposable options. Plus they look expensive, but aren’t so it’s an easy and cheap way to dress up your outdoor dinner party. Go to the Leafware website to buy a sample pack or stock up for a summer of guilt-free cookouts!

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We know you are always looking for ways to help the planet, especially today on the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, so here are some fun tips for you to plan a perfect Eco-friendly party of your own!

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1. Rent a green dress

If you don’t have the perfect LGD (that’s little green dress) to wear tonight, don’t despair. Services such as Rent the Runway have same day delivery available (for dresses ordered before 3 PM EST for lucky girls who live in NY). Keep them in mind for future events too because it’s more green to pay a smaller rental fee and return a dress, than let it sit in your closet! (Okay, shipping cross-country isn’t the most Eco-friendly method of getting a dress either, but this option makes sense for girls in NY that can have them delivered locally and it saves you money if you plan on wearing the dress just once for a special occasion.)

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2. Set an Eco-friendly table

Use recycled materials such as cardboard, paper shopping bags and paper coffee cup holders to accent and decorate your Earth Day dinner table. Try to only use items you find around your house to reuse them and reduce your waste today. The leaf shaped name cards at each table are the perfect personal touch and the mix of textures gives the whole look a put together, luxurious feel.

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3. Shop at your Farmer’s Market to make an organic dinner

Serve a delicious organic meal prepared at home for your Earth Day party and make sure to shop at the Farmer’s Market for locally grown produce. Also, if you want to take it a step further, prepare a vegetarian meal to curb carbon emissions from livestock. You can get some great Earth Day appropriate vegetarian recipes for your main course at my favorite source, MarthaStewart.com.

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4. Give an Earth Day inspired party favor

Whether it’s an adorable herb garden, like this one we spotted at the Farmer’s Market, or a tiny pot with seeds, make your Earth Day party favor a gift that keeps on giving. You can also plant a tree in honor of your guests or have them plant it with you!

Whatever you do to celebrate today, let’s make a conscious effort to be kind to the planet and keep it green!

Happy Earth Day!

Check out EarthDay.org for more ways to take action.

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]]> http://belladestinee.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=1412 1 http://belladestinee.com/blog/?p=1353 http://belladestinee.com/blog/?p=1353#comments Wed, 21 Apr 2010 06:47:49 +0000 Ana Vick http://belladestinee.com/blog/?p=1353

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Since it’s 4/20, we thought it would be appropriate to discuss marijuana’s not so naughty relative in the Cannabis genus, hemp. Though it has been stigmatized in the U.S. for being related to marijuana (though hemp is non-psychoactive), industrial hemp is produced in over 30 countries including Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Great Britain, France, Russia and Spain. Since hemp requires few pesticides and no herbicides it is more environmentally friendly (background information from Wikipedia.org).

Here we explore the many wonderful uses of hemp for your wedding day!

Paper made out of hemp can be used for your invitations, save the dates, place cards, menus, and wedding programs.

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Hemp, which is a more durable fiber than cotton, can be worn by your Eco-friendly groom on the wedding day. This tuxedo by Burberry is made out of hemp, but looks just as dashing as a traditional tux!

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Finally, arguably the most important dress you’ll ever wear can also be Eco-friendly. Just choose a wedding dress that is made partially or fully out of hemp, like these beautiful Morgan Boszilkov creations.

images from weddingchick.com

You don’t have to substitute style for Eco-consciousness. Thanks to hemp, they go hand in hand. Now that’s something to celebrate!

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Weddings of course would not be complete without a wonderful meal and drinks after the ceremony to celebrate the union of the happy couple. So why not make the most Eco-conscious choice and hire an organic caterer? You can even go so far as to have a vegetarian, vegan, or raw meal prepared (or at least for those guests you know do not eat meat). With all the choices out there, you are sure to find a menu that will suit your budget, taste buds and event theme.

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To find a little organic food culinary inspiration, the Bella Destinee team attended an event held by EcoStiletto at Rolling Greens Nursery in West Hollywood for Anna Getty’s new “Easy Green Organic” cookbook.

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The food was colorful and plentiful, but our favorites were the crustini topped with a delightful goat cheese frittata and the flavorful coconut cookies. Who said organic cooking was boring and bland? Not us!

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Another bonus, Nicobella chocolates in several flavors were served that were deliciously divine and are organic too! I could definitely see a couple using these as party favors in a cute box or as part of a decadent dessert bar.

To this Eco-conscious planner, the extra cost of buying organic and using a green caterer are worth every cent. After all the wedding is the start of your life together, perhaps with children down the road, so it’s important to make responsible choices. Consider choosing a caterer that follows sustainable practices, uses the best organic ingredients, and will help make a meal that will be both super healthy and tasty too!

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