Whilst investigating eco options for my wedding day I came across this wonderful couple David and Nicola Finch of Touch Wood Rings, who make wooden rings while living sustainably off the grid life near Williams Lake, BC. They take the stewardship of their land very seriously. Most of the wood they use is from blown down and bug killed trees on their 50 acres. They collect birch bark from the ground around stands of birch trees in the bush. The juniper heart wood, cherry, and olive wood come from the yards of their family in the Similkameen Valley of British Columbia. Some of the other woods that do not come from their land are surplus and scrap woods from wood shops and veneer factories where it would otherwise be trash. Folks also send them their own woods from their own and their families properties the world over to work with and to share with others. Additionally, David uses such a tiny bit of wood to create a ring that they couldn’t use up a tree in a lifetime of making wooden rings. They are always striving to lighten the load on our planet.
Juniper Heartwood
I first spoke to David and Nicola via email regarding my specifications for my wedding rings. What is even more delightful about this process is that all the woods have different meanings and you can combine a few to make them even more personal to yourself. I chose a Koa Band with a juniper braid and birch liner (which was inscribed). They kept me up to date with progress reports and pictures. When I received my handmade rings, I was overwhelmed by their beauty and intricacy and this was the “organic icing” on my eco wedding cake! My husband and I got married on top of a Rocky Mountain called “Mount 7″ on 07.07.07!!
Their website, their work and their lives have been powered by the sun since 2001. They don’t just make wedding rings, but friendship bands, eternity rings, and more. For more information, go to www.touchwoodrings.com.
Wendy Chambers & pups
Wendy Chambers lives in Golden, British Columbia, Canada. She is a self-proclaimed, full-fledged eco chick striving to provide an organic and sustainable life for her family. Wendy recycles, upcycles old furniture, uses environmentally friendly products, and eats mainly organic homegrown veggies from her own garden and eggs from her hens. She has spent the last 15 years learning and living a greener lifestyle and hopes to share her findings by creating a local green business directory.
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