KOBO soy candles are hand-poured with 100% domestically grown pure soy wax. They feature lead free, environmentally safe cotton wicks. We love earth-friendly products, we really do, but with scents as rich and complex and packaging (including a box which may be saved to store the candle when not in use, a slim box of matches, and a candle holder to protect your surfaces from heat) this great, it’s easy to forget that one is saving the world.  

Anisette Pure soy candle is hand poured using the cleanest environmentally friendly waxes, wicks and oils available. Made and grown in the UK. This Anisette Orange Pure Soy Candle is a multi layered fragrance blend of anise, red peppercorn and blood orange. Burn time is 70 hours. Hand poured pure soy candle. Multi-layered fragrance blends of anise, red peppercorn, and blood orange. Environment-safe wicks. Beautiful packaging includes box of long-stem matches.

Create a truly relaxing environment in your home with our highly concentrated and long lasting soy candles. 100% cotton wick is safe and non-toxic. Made with pure essential oils and/or a blend of fragrance oils as listed below, they deliver pure aromatic bliss. Sometimes, good things come in beautiful packages. Kobo Anisette Orange Pure Soy Candles are creative and complex fragrances. These candles are 70 hours born.

Each Kobo Anisette Pure soy candle is hand poured using the cleanest environmentally friendly waxes, wicks, and oils available. Multilayered fragrance blends of anise, red peppercorn, and blood orange. The Kobo candles are High quality candle packaged in a beautiful printed decorative box. This candle is perfect for a gift. Please purchase online www.katiewongnyc.com in Newyork city.

By: m.jeya

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Try Out New Products and Eco-Friendly Activities 

By Julie L. Jones

April 2008

Given the barrage of environmentally friendly product hitting the market, now is the perfect time to capitalize on “green” by celebrating Earth Day not only on April 22, but all month long. Aside from sporting earth tones and attaching seed packets to your business cards, what can you do? Read TDmonthly Magazine’s 12 tips below:

1. Notify Press Early. Contact local media in early- to mid-April and let them know your store is “a source for kids to start thinking about being ecological … and [has] toys and educational products that will reinforce this,” advised Jon Schallert, retail marketing consultant and president of The Schallert Group Inc.

2. Create a Special Section. “Thematically organize products that are green-oriented into a section of the store,” Schallert suggested. Products by Imagiplay and Uncle Skunkle Toys feature sustainable rubberwood, for example, and Kapla planks are made with wood from renewable pine forests.

3. Involve the Community “by having a wall of art from a local school — with environmental messages,” suggested Executive Director Trish Poe of Kids For a Clean Environment. Doing so may encourage visits from kids who want to see their artwork on display.

4. Try a New Earth-Friendly Line. “I think [Überstix] would be a nice product to bring in close to Earth Day,” Donna Frederick, manager and buyer for The Play House Toy Store in Durham, N.C., told TDmonthly. The company makes “scavenger” craft kits that encourage recycling.

5. Blog About It. In the weeks leading up to Earth Day, feature one eco-friendly toy a day — on your blog, on your website, or in an email to customers. Not only do the press gather story ideas from blogs, Schallert told TDmonthly, but “a blog immediately elevates you in search engine rankings.”

6. Become a Donation Post. “[Toy stores] could be a collection point for toys ‘gently used’ and offer a percentage discount for items received per family,” Poe told TDmonthly. The toys can then be cleaned, disinfected and donated.

7. Help Customers Shop. “Create a shopping list of the top-50 green-oriented games and toys [you] sell,” Schallert recommended. “I’d teach every one of my sales people to put these lists in customers’ hands: ‘Here are 50 toys we’ve highlighted around the store that are just great for teaching kids about ecology.’”

8. Recruit an Expert. Bring in a schoolteacher or environmentalist to talk to your customers about steps they can take to help protect the environment. Have them award small prizes from your store to kids who answer questions correctly.

9. Partner With Manufacturers. See if any of the companies you work with are having special promotions. More than 150 retailers, for example, are participating in an in-store contest with Plan Toys’ Balancing Cactus Game, awarding prizes to players who balance the most branches.

10. Reinvent Your Window Display. Spotlight eco-friendly products and, on a sign next to them, indicate why they’re so designated. Or, build a dollhouse out of recycled soda cans. Get creative!

11. Teach a New Game. Children attending Earth Day festivals in major cities will learn to play Matter Group’s Xeko adventure game. What can you teach in your store?

12. Read About the Earth. Host a day with arts and crafts activities and a special story hour, Poe suggested. You can find a couple of earth-friendly book options in TDmonthly’s Eco-Friendly section, along with several other “green” products.

To read more, please visit: http://www.toydirectory.com/monthly/article.asp?id=3173

By: ToyDirectory.com® and TDmonthly™ Magazine

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Every April there’s one day when we all try to come together for a greater good. No, it’s not Tax Day — it’s Earth Day on April 22nd. While most people know about Earth Day and its environmental significance, few of us know how Earth Day got started! 

In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, there was growing concern over the state of the environment. Most notably seen across college campuses and grassroots organizations, this environmental focus also grew in importance within the political sphere. In 1969, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson suggested a demonstration to help gain attention for environmental causes. A year later on April 22nd, the first official Earth Day was held with over 20 million people participating — a giant step for the modern environmental movement!

Since the inception of Earth Day, the holiday has become an international effort to improve environmental sustainability from air quality and global warming to wildlife protection and recycling efforts. In 1992, the United Nations recognized the growing need to maintain environmental health with an Earth Summit in Rio de Jainero.

While Earth Day has changed a great deal from its original demonstration-based format, the goal remains the same. Now, there’s a greater emphasis on clean energy and the reduction of global warming, but one fact is undeniable: Earth Day is growing in importance across the world. Nearly a billion people across the world participated in last year’s Earth Day activities.

In addition to focusing on a very real and pressing issue, Earth Day also brings people of different cultures, nationalities, religions, and races together to strive for a common goal. Celebrated in over 175 countries, Earth Day is considered “the largest secular holiday in the world, celebrated by more than a half billion people every year,” according to Earth Day Network. This year, become a part of this exciting and important holiday — and spread the word to your friends and family!

What You Can Do:

There are tons of ways you can celebrate Earth Day by yourself or with friends and family! Some of the things you can do to help the environment are:

•Plant a tree: Help keep the planet green one tree at a time! Trees help absorb carbon dioxide, thereby reducing your carbon footprint. For more information on planting, tree care, and what trees are best for your area and the environment, please visit the Arbor Day Foundation (http://www.arborday.org/).

•Make your home Earth friendly: While so many environmental efforts focus on the outdoors, there are an endless number of ways you can make your home more “green.” From compact florescent light bulbs and Energystar appliances (http://www.energystar.gov/) to organic, locally grown foods and natural pest control (http://www.ecosmart.com/), there are a growing number of products to help you keep your home Earth friendly. Visit www.healthychild.org for simple ways to keep your home healthy for your family and the planet.

•Donate to a worthy environmental cause: You don’t have to get down and dirty if you don’t want to; donations to well respected environmental organizations ensure that you’re helping the causes you find important. And don’t forget — sometimes these groups need the items you just have gathering dust in your garage! Visit www.charitynavigator.org or similar sites to find a reputable organization.

•Walk, bike, or carpool to reduce emissions: Sometimes, it’s the changes you make in your daily life that will have the greatest impact on the environment. Do something good for your health and the planet by walking or biking to work or to run errands. If you live too far away, consider carpooling or taking public transportation.

•Start a recycling program in your community: If your community doesn’t already have the resources for recycling, you can always take your items to a recycling center. However, if you make the extra effort to create a convenient recycling solution within your neighborhood, more people are likely to recycle as well. At http://earth911.org/recycling/ you can find what items can be recycled as well as how and where to recycle them.

•Know your carbon footprint: How do you measure up in terms of the amount of Carbon Dioxide you and your family produce? See where you stand compared to the national average by calculating your personal contribution to global warming at www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/. You might be surprised enough to adopt cleaner forms of energy.

By: EcoSMART

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The Eco Friendly trend continues to grow….not falling short of entering the home. For the past several years manufacturers of all the different industries and local retail stores have been in search of ways to save the environment - or at least preserve what can be. One can even find reusable grocery bags in local drug stores and supermarkets. It is really no surprise that the home décor industry is following suit. Consumers can purchase stylish lighting, furniture, art sculptures, floor décor, and a variety of other home accessories made from natural fibers and materials that are considered environmentally friendly.    

A variety of elegant lighting is available to consumers from hanging fixtures, to desk lamps, wall sconces and floor lamps. All of which are made from economically safe materials. The modern-day rectangular shaped hanging light would be a perfect replacement to the traditional inlayed ceiling light in the kitchen or even above a pool table. The island style is unique in taste and modern. The ideal accent piece for any room would be the Winding Staircase Penshell Lamp. It is comprised of a pastoral iron featuring a winding staircase amidst surrounding pillars that leads up to a Penshell dome. The inlays of the Eggshell Wall Sconce are distinct in nature and add a nice touch to any hall or room.

Economically friendly furniture has also become a demand. Consumers can now fill the rooms of their homes with furnishings made from recycled wood. The quality and style are not discounted in any way. An elegant, traditionally round rosewood table would be a wonderful addition to a dining room. Scraps and strips of wood were collected and reformed to design the top and then completed with an economically friendly oil for protection. Matching recycled rosewood dining chairs are also available. They too are pieced together by hand and formed into a comfortable yet sturdy place to sit and enjoy a family dinner. Other tables such as end tables, coffee tables, and console tables are great additions to the home. Each follow the lead of the dining table being handmade and finished with a safe oil for protection.

Artistically sound sculptures can also be found and enjoyed by a variety of tastes. For the mask lover there are a variety of stone and shell masks. A blue base, turquoise, natural and white onyx are choices that are given. Each mask has been handcrafted and provides a different look and tells a different story. Their history dates back to over one thousand years ago. They are completed with a stone stand making them suitable for placement on a shelf or table. Wall mountable sculptures are also available. A beautifully handmade deer head sculpture would be a wonderful accent piece for a trophy room. The sculpture is made from a recycled teak wood that forms the deer’s head, antlers, and neck. Whether being used as a mount on the wall or on a table, each sculpture is hand formed from components that are collected and then remanufactured.

What room would be complete without floor accents? Truly unique in design, the Reclaimed Monkey Wood Vine Floor Screen can serve as a room divider and accent for any room in the home. Pieces from Monkey Wood Trees are hand formed to create this beauty. Banana Tree Bark and Rubber Wood Leaf inlays make up the Banana Bark Floor Décor Collection. Two vases of various sizes are grouped together into one package for an exotically, tasteful addition.

There is a variety of other accents that can be added to a consumer’s economically favored style: Coconut Shell House Motif Jewelry Box, White Capiz Shell Candlesticks, Turquoise Blue Penshell Vases, Turquoise Blue Penshell Candle Holders, Nautilus décor, the list could go on forever. The World has turned to salvaging itself and relies upon those that reside in it. Eco Friendly items can go as far as decorating a living room. The modern style surely adds to an artistic taste.

By: Kris Bond

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General Motor Corp., an American automaker, plans to have an ambitious campaign to give its Chevrolet brand an environmental image. The company seeks to hold this plan to compete with the hybrid-master Toyota. 

According to leading environmental activists at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the competition will be a tough sell. The idea has made Dan Becker, environmental consultant and longtime director of the Sierra Club’s global warming project, laugh. He said, “GM’s an environmental pariah… They have zero credibility as an environmental leader.”

Mark LaNeve, GM vice president for sales, service and marketing, is well-versed that the company possesses a bad reputation on the environment. Thus, the new marketing campaign shall be the first step in a long-term attempt to alter the image.

LaNeve mentioned that GM will be focusing on fuel efficiency, alternative fuels, hybrids on vehicles sold now as well as the Volt extended-range electric vehicle expected to go on sale in 2010. The company will also have a fleet of 100 zero-emission hydrogen fuel-cell Chevrolet Equinox SUVs tested by consumers in 2008.

Acknowledging the fact that the attempt will take a breakthrough vehicle like the Volt to change Chevrolet’s image, LaNeve said, “We are going to offer solutions for our company, the consumer, America and the environment.”

Considering that the world’s largest automaker Toyota is the one that dominates the hybrid market with its popular Prius, GM realizes that they are in long-term project. But, they know the challenge can be even tougher.

Becker said, “Most of the campaign’s claims are bunk” knowing that the E85 ethanol-gasoline blend key to GM’s claims is unavailable in California, he said, “They don’t have any credibility on these issues.”

In the campaign, Chevrolet will be touted with “Gas-friendly to gas-free” slogan. Chevrolet general manager Ed Peper said, “It’s critical to our brand that providing fuel solutions be part of our image… This is certainly not business as usual. Chevrolet really is changing at its foundation of how we power America.”

Jim Kliesch, senior engineer in the Union of Concerned Scientists’ clean vehicles program, said that GM needs more than a nifty slogan to change its image with environmental groups. He said, “Evaluating an automaker’s environmental performance based on an ad campaign is like judging how well somebody sings based on what kind of shoes they wear.”

Kliesch has given credit to GM as the American automaker began selling hybrid full-size trucks, including a Chevrolet Silverado pickup, and its development efforts on the Volt and fuel cells. But, he said, the automaker is lacking efforts against high fuel-economy standards.

Kliesch said, “It’s important to support policies to reduce carbon dioxide and raise fuel efficiency… GM and other automakers are lobbying against these standards. That does not jibe with the message they’re trying to send.”

Despite the criticism, GM is eager to pursue the campaign. LaNeve said that Chevrolet will be a leading environmental brand and “We want to be seen as the solution, not part of the problem.”

So from now on, Chevrolet vehicles are expected to be sustained with not just quality Chevy floor mats, but features that will provide benefits for the environment.

By: Evander Klum

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Environmentally friendly (eco-friendly and nature friendly) are synonyms used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment. To make consumers aware, environmentally friendly goods and services often are marked with eco-labels. But because there is no single international standard for this concept, the International Organization for Standardization considers such labels too vague to be meaningful. 

Eco friendly products help to maintain consumer goodwill since they are not causing any environment as well as earth pollution. The recycling benefit of the earth friendly products helps to maintain customer good will and at the same time need for extremely advanced promotional products like eco friendly drink wares, earth friendly personal & household products, eco friendly bags & cases, environment friendly writing instruments and more.

Eco friendly products from our design team are cost effective and promote global marketing enhancement and business promotion. Up to a large extent for maintaining private health protection and natural environment preservation eco friendly products plays a main role.

When you use an eco friendly item for your promotional need, it saves both your money & health since the raw materials taken for eco friendly products are purely taken from natural resources which are available from the eco system. All of eco products, even those that are not part of the eco foam line, are designed to benefit the environment through decreased energy consumption and positive indoor air quality. We are committed to environmental sustainability by manufacturing products that protect the environment; conserve resources and beneficial to human life.

Print4Half.Com works with the intention to bring high-quality, lower - price design printed eco friendly promotional products like writing instruments, bags & cases, drink wares, personal & household products etc to global market and to other customers. As a small business we know firsthand the importance of delivering quality printed promotional eco friendly products for all business and personal needs. The goal is to provide an online printing of designed eco products to our customers that are easy to use, high quality, at moderate cost.

By: George

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Most businesses use promotional products to advertise their businesses, especially at conventions and trade shows. However, it is important for many people to be environmentally friendly. While many promotional products are not, there are choices that you can pick in order to promote your business while still keeping nature in mind. Using environmentally friendly promotional products will help you and your business do your part to save the world.  

First, consider the product from which the promotional products are made. Plastics are common, although products can also be made out of paper, wood, ceramic, and a variety of other materials. Before ordering, call the company to find out their policy about using these products. Where the plastics recycled? Can be they recycled easily? Keep in mind that recycling plastics can usually be done, but some communities limit the categories of plastics that can be recycled. 1-5 are usually your best bets. In any case, paper products can also be recycled.

Learn about how the products will be shipped to you as well. Larger products will undoubtedly take more space, and therefore require larger shipping boxes and more packaging material. Of course, you can work with your promotional products company to discuss shipping options in order to cut costs and be more environmentally friendly. Sometimes, smaller boxes are possible. If the order is shipped together, you may also be able to cut back on packaging. You can even discuss the use of recycled newspaper or other environmentally friendly packing options with your promotional products company. It never hurts to ask, right?

Remember, if the product is useful, it is better for the environment. Why? Well, if a product is useful, there is less of a chance that people will throw it away. Unfortunately, many people do not recycle, meaning that your promotional products have a good chance of ending up in a landfill. Instead, useful products will be continually used in the home. Mugs, cups, umbrellas, pens, letter openers, and Frisbees are all good examples of promotional items that are less likely to find their way to the trashcan.

You can also provide promotional that promote not only your business, but also saving the environment. A great example of such a product is the tote bag. Tote bags can be used in place of paper or plastic bags at the grocery store in order to cut down on their consumption. However, you can also attractively print your name or logo on the side of a tote bag in order to advertise your business. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Of course, don’t forget that you and your business can do other things to help the environment as well. Use recycled paper to print brochures and business cards. Carpool to conferences, driving when possible instead of flying. Use the same displays and posters wherever your go and for as long as possible. If businesses around the world team up to be more environmentally friend, the earth will be a happier place to live.

By: Tina Rinaudo

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It is nearly time for students to go back to school. We can see it and feel it - and not just because of the sad looks on our children’s faces, but because of the ads in the newspapers and the commercials on television. Soon, everyone will be scrambling to get school supplies. 

When students come home from school on the first day, amongst the myriads of paperwork they bring home for parents to sign, there is usually a list of educational supplies which their teachers write up to let parents know the specifics of the school year needs. You don’t have to wait for a list from teachers. You can get a head start on school supplies right now by buying some of the most basic products such as notebooks, folders, pencils, paper and backpacks ahead of time. What is more, you can save money and do it in an earth-friendly way.

School Supplies - Advice for Getting the Most of Your Dollars

* School clothes and shoes are probably the most important school supplies you will need! Students tend to grow over the summer and even if they haven’t grown much, it is a rare thing when a child is willing to wear “last year’s clothes”. Start shopping for clothes as soon as possible so you aren’t trying to buy everything all in one day. Search outlets and warehouse stores before heading to more expensive shops. These types of stores have stylish name brand clothing for much less than you’ll find anywhere else.

? Look around your home for school supplies. Maybe you have some of the things your children will need for school right in your own house. Often people have notebooks, paper, pens and pencils around that can be used in lieu of purchasing all of them.

? Keep an eye out for back-to-school sales that advertise ahead of time. If you know which day and at what time a great sale begins, you can plan to be there bright and early.

? There are many school supplies that can be found without waiting for a sale. Visit dollar stores and school supply stores for discount school supplies. Dollar stores often carry notebooks, pencils, erasers… and discount department stores may have everything your child needs for back to school supplies.

? If you have a way to contact teachers before school starts, it is a good idea to do so. You can ask them for a list of classroom supplies that are needed for the curriculum. This way, you can be completely prepared when the sales are going on.

? Go green by purchasing as many recycled school supplies as you can. Paper, folders and notebooks made from recycled materials are available in many places. Keep in mind that most of the work your children do will eventually end up in the trash can. You can offset some of the waste by making sure school supplies are recycled when you purchase them.

? Reuse last year’s backpacks if they are not torn or stained. To make them new again, wash them thoroughly and decorate them with markers, fabric pants or patches. If there are only a few stains, they can be covered with patches or paint. If your children really need new backpacks, there are some quality backpacks to be found online. When it comes to backpacks, it is better to pay a little more for durability than it is to buy the cheapest you can find. This way, you won’t have to replace your children’s backpacks in the middle of the school year.

With a little searching and some creativity, you can spend less and be environmentally conscious when gathering school supplies. Don’t make the same mistakes as many parents who end up shopping late and because they are in a hurry, end up paying more for school supplies than they would have had they moved just a little faster.

By: Seomul Evans

About the Author:

In the world of engagements and wedding planning, green is the new white. From conflict-free wedding jewelry, to an environmentally-conscientious reception, with an eco-friendly honeymoon to round out the nuptials, couples are throwing out the era of Bridezilla and ushering in the age of green weddings. And it all starts with that oh-so-special wedding jewelry. 

Choosing a diamond engagement ring and wedding bands are incredibly personal decisions that are also becoming ethical decisions. Socially aware couples now want to ensure that their wedding jewelry selections are not linked to human rights abuses or have not negatively impacted the environment.

Conflict-free Diamonds

Until recent years, newly engaged couples were blissfully unaware that an untold number of corrupt organizations in African countries were illegally mining diamonds that are directly linked to human rights abuses.

The good news is that more than 40 nations worldwide, including the United States, now voluntarily participate in the Kimberly Process, a system that imposes stringent requirements on imports to certify that diamonds are free from conflict. 99.8% of the global production of rough diamonds is now accounted for through the Kimberly Process.

Reputable engagement and wedding jewelry retailers readily confirm the origin of any stone. Online retailers are particularly sensitive to consumer concerns regarding the genesis of their diamonds. Leading online retailers, such as Danforth Diamond, My Solitaire, and Brilliant Earth actively educate consumers by providing helpful information on their websites to ensure that accurate information is easily accessible.

Green Gold?

For those who truly want guilt-free glitter, there are a number of retailers who offer recycled gold for wedding bands and the like. Concerned about a lackluster green ring? Worry not. Recycled gold, which is melted and re-refined, is the same quality as newly-mined gold.

NoDirtyGold.org publishes an ever-growing and impressive list of retailers who support the responsible production of gold.

Vintage jewelry is also enjoying a resurgence in popularity as brides and grooms opt to purchase estate jewelry or wear wedding rings that have been passed down from a family member.

Eco-friendly weddings aren’t just for the granola crunching crowd nowadays — and conflict-free diamond engagement rings and recycled gold wedding jewelry are just the beginning. As green weddings become more mainstream, the options and price ranges are increasingly abundant.

Earth-friendly Invitations

Wedding invitations printed with soy- or vegetable-based inks on recycled paper are a mainstay for green couples. If that’s not green enough for you, perhaps paperless invitations are the way to go; simply extend electronic invitations for guests who can be contacted via email. Emailed RSVPs offer an added bonus: guests are more likely to respond promptly, allowing you to accurately plan your headcount.

Location, Location, Location

A central wedding location that requires minimal travel for most guests will save on carbon emissions. Booking a venue that can host the wedding ceremony and reception will further reduce carbon emissions. Art galleries, botanical gardens, eco-friendly restaurants, hotels and parks are all excellent choices.

Here Comes the Bride

Something old, something new, something borrowed… something green? You betcha. Green brides can choose lovely, previously-worn gowns from vintage stores or gown consignment and rental shops. Brides can also turn to their family tree for a wonderfully sentimental heirloom gown. A number of designers have also embraced the eco-friendly trend and offer extravagant gowns made of hemp silk.

Wedding Favors as Decorations

Organic, locally grown flowers for bouquets and centerpieces offer a fresh, seasonal touch. Flower arrangements used at the wedding can perform double duty by being moved to the reception. Potted plants also make lovely arrangements and can be transplanted outdoors after the wedding or can serve as gifts that guests can take home.

The Gift that Keeps Giving

Portovert Magazine, the nation’s first and only online publication devoted exclusively to environmentally and socially responsible weddings, and NativeEnergy offer a carbon emissions calculator that can be used to evaluate wedding-related carbon sources, including travel, guest lodging and power used at the wedding venues, which can help in the planning of a carbon-neutral wedding. You can find it here: http://www.nativeenergy.com/Splash/Portovert/portovert_wedding_calc.html.

Couples can also offset the carbon emissions produced as a result of their nuptials by making contributions to an eco organization of their choice or requesting that guests do the same in lieu of a wedding gift.

Paying it Forward

Eco-friendly tours, green hotel resorts, simple outdoor adventures, volunteer work for a preservation project — green honeymoons run the gamut and cater to a variety of preferences and budgets. From relaxing and luxuriant to active and outdoorsy, newlyweds can take their dream green vacation that celebrates the beginning of their new life together and the future of our planet.

And to think that it all began with a diamond engagement ring. Green weddings provide couples the opportunity to make a lifelong commitment to each other and to their world. Every wedding anniversary, from the “small” ones to the milestones years is an opportunity to renew that commitment for now and for years to come.

Perhaps a future generation will honor that same commitment by choosing to wear your “heirloom” wedding jewelry.

By: Jill Renee

About the Author: