We are currently completing our feature length documentary AMERICAN COMMUNE about growing on The Farm. The impetus for making our film was born out of the simple desire to understand where we came from. Before starting production, we had vivid childhood memories, but no concrete knowledge about why our parents founded a socialist experiment in the backwoods of Tennessee, how it worked and why it ultimately disbanded. Making the film gave us the opportunity to explore our lives on the commune, ask our parents the difficult questions and ponder the values we’d been instilled with from a young age.

On The Farm we lived in huge communal households that held between 20 and 70 people. When members came to the commune they gave up all their personal possessions and agreed to share everything. Contrary to negative stereotypes of hippies at the time, our parents vowed to live a spiritually pure life and dedicated themselves to doing whatever it took to build their new society. They taught themselves how to farm, deliver their babies at home and build a town from scratch. The Farm midwives, led by Ina May Gaskin, created an at home birth method and the international best seller book Spiritual Midwifery. News of their commune quickly spread and by the late 1970s they had nearly 1,500 permanent members and 10,000 visitors a year. Many women came to The Farm to deliver their babies naturally and for free.

We lived off of what we planted in our fields and the commune store stocked basic dry goods like flour, oil and sugar. Each household would send a member to the store to pick up weekly rations and they would be distributed equally to members. We were officially living below the poverty line on a dollar a day per person, but none of us kids knew any different, so it was not how we defined ourselves.

The Farm was also a non-consumer based society. We didn’t use money and would barter goods and services. The commune had a construction and farming crew that worked to bring in outside capital. In many ways, we were unintentionally more ecological because we didn’t waste anything. Our clothes were always second hand, the food was unpackaged and made from scratch and we valued relationships over material possessions.

As a kid in our state-certified school, we were taught all of the normal subjects, but there was an emphasis on the environment and world politics. From a very young age we were taught that it was our responsibility to grow up and save the world. This is a pretty weighty idea to place on a child and I’m not sure how it translated for others. I know for myself that I will never entirely be able to escape the feeling that it is my job to do something with my life that will make the world a better place. However, to be totally forthright, being a documentary filmmaker is not something I could ever support myself on entirely. Both my sister and I have had to work commercial television jobs to support our documentary. But the important thing for us is that we strive to do things that can make a difference or at the very least incite discussion about alternative ways of existing in our world.

We’ve recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise finishing funds to complete our documentary AMERICAN COMMUNE’S post-production. In order to have a successful campaign, we will need to engage an enormous community of like-minded people. Countless reporters – everyone from Walter Cronkite to Dan Rather – have covered The Farm in news segments but we are the first insiders to tell our story. We feel the world is hungry for examples of alternative lifestyles and know that together we can make a difference (and movie!).

American Commune Kickstarter campaign, http://kck.st/R6Hhzc.

Learn more at: www.americancommunemovie.com, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Rena Mundo Croshere and Nadine Mundo are completing their documentary about growing up on The Farm called AMERICAN COMMUNE. 

The Farm in Summertown, Tennessee is no longer a commune, but operates as an intentional community based on principles of peace and respect for the earth.

My Life on America’s Largest Commune is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

I reference this vitamin quite often; so, what is it that I mean? Self love; vitamin L is simply self love.

Now, I’m aware many people believe they love themselves just fine; and to that I say, ‘good on you; AND, there is no such thing as too much when it comes to this nutrient, so, increase your dosage.’ How, you ask? Well, try these suggestions on for size (no pun intended) and feel free to develop your own!

1) Allow others to give, a.k.a. be open to receiving ~ this is the first of the big ones. Many people believe they have no problem with this concept; yet, from my perspective, I beg to differ. Receiving or allowing others to contribute includes putting the ego aside long enough to hear what they have to say. We live in a multifaceted world, and our angle is a minute one at that; so, it’s going to take dialing down our brain long enough to consider the thoughts and insights of other people. In doing so, we build our heart ‘muscle’ AND contribute to theirs as well. In other words, Vitamin L stretches our emotional body and strengthens our ability to connect. An incredibly vital component for thriving (notice I did not say, surviving).

2) Honor the body ~ another challenging practice for some; yet, crucial to our wellbeing. This particular approach to wellness is not often discussed in modern day health programs; however, that doesn’t mean it’s far fetched or esoteric. It’s simply discarded because we’re taught to ignore the pain, dispel the symptoms and press on. We’ve become a quick fix society and the thought of allowing pain or fatigue to dictate the course of the day is unacceptable. I propose we’re making a killer mistake. Think about it. How does adopting one set of rules for operating work for everyone, everyday? It’s a philosophy; someone’s way of trying to resolve the problem of ‘playing in his or her own diaper’; and while it makes sense to determine whether or not you’re feeling sorry for yourself OR being self righteous about something, it’s not a wise choice to make on a consistent basis. Honoring the body involves awareness; awareness is an intrinsic key to health.

3) Allow the emotions ~ THE ‘granddaddy’ for elemental health. I call this the BIG one for one simple reason; virtually none of us shed the weight of the past in order to actually be with what we’re feeling in the moment. Why? Because we do not fully understand how these feelings continue to affect us OR we think they no longer matter. I assert, they really do impact the way we react versus respond to circumstances as well as contribute to our physical, mental and spiritual health. By addressing the old and shedding a tear or two, we are better equipped to manage the new and in turn lose the weight we can see along with the weight only we can feel.

Photo courtesy FotoRita [Allstar maniac].

Tammy Davis is a Holistic Health & Nutrition Coach with a passion for aromatherapy and how food works synergistically with the body. She is committed to love and understanding as well as assisting people to honor their inner wisdom. She specializes in addiction & eating disorder recovery. Visit her website, find her on facebook and twitter.

The Weight of a Tear is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Dear EarthTalk: Which are the most eco-friendly and non-toxic (to people, cats and sanitation systems) cat litters? ­– Sam Barnes, Macon, GA

It makes sense that environmentally enlightened cat owners would want cat litter made from natural products that will not potentially compromise their health or that of their beloved pets. Many mass market cat litters contain significant amounts of silica dust which has been linked to upper respiratory issues in cats and even humans. Likewise, the chemical fragrances in many cat litters can also be toxic to cats.

Yet another issue is the sodium bentonite clay in “clumping” cat litters. The fact that this type of clay can swell up to 15 times its original volume when a cat urinates or defecates into it makes it an excellent cat litter substrate, as waste clumps can be scooped out and filled in without changing the entire litter box. But when cats ingest this material it can cause gastrointestinal distress that in some cases can lead to death. Also, the clay commonly used can be derived from environmentally destructive strip mining.

But thanks to increased concern for cats’ health and the environment, there are plenty of greener options out there. To wit, Yesterday’s News cat litter is made from recycled newspaper and is reportedly three times more absorbent than clay. It is non-toxic and contains no scented fragrances, but its makers say it is still tough on odors, and is 99.7 percent dust-free. It also comes in recyclable paper packaging.

Wood shavings and sawdust also make good cat litter substrates. NEPCO’s Cedarific Natural Cat Litter is a blend of hardwood and cedar chips with no clay or silica dust. Besides being inexpensive, it is easy to handle, has a pleasant odor, and is biodegradable and compostable. Other wood/sawdust alternatives include Feline Pine, which is made from dust-free pine chips, and Better Way Cat Litter, which combines clay with cedar chips for natural odor control. Yet another great choice is Eco-Shell’s Purr & Simple Cat Litter, made from a proprietary blend of fibrous material from annually renewable tree-nut crops.

SwheatScoop Natural Wheat Litter keeps odors at bay through the power of natural enzymes in renewable wheat crops; it is low-dust and low-tracking besides being biodegradable and compostable. Meanwhile, World’s Best Cat Litter is made from whole kernel corn. And Benevo Cat Litter is made from non-genetically modified maize and other vegetable derivatives.

Frugal eco-conscious cat owners might consider making their own cat litter by repurposing everyday materials that would otherwise end up in the waste stream. Plain sawdust makes great cat litter, but doesn’t control odor as well as other substrates and might be hard to find in urban areas. The website treehugger.com offers instructions on how to turn old newspapers into cat litter; the process is a bit involved but can save money while extending the life of discarded newsprint.

Cat litter made from natural materials can also be composted as a way to reduce waste while creating rich soil for the garden. The Glenbrook North Zero Waste Blog in Vancouver, BC provides instructions on how to get healthy compost from cat litter derived from wood, sawdust or vegetable products.

Credit: BananaStock/Thinkstock

CONTACTS: Yesterday’s News, www.yesterdaysnews.com; NEPCO, www.nep-co.com; Treehugger’s “Make Your Own Newspaper Cat Litter,” www.treehugger.com/culture/pet-topic-make-your-own-newspaper-cat-litter.html; Glenbrook North Zero Waste Blog’s “How to Compost Your Cat’s Litter,” http://glenbrookzerowaste.wordpress.com/2010/03/30/how-to-compost-your-cats-litter.

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E – The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

Eco-friendly and Non-toxic Cat Litter is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

After my first night at the Earthdance festival, I awoke to a really soft morning. The hammock allowed for a blissful awakening and the wet grass and mud felt quite nice under my bare feet, which continued ant bites had transformed in both texture and size so it looked like I was walking around on mud caked armadillos.

Face Painting by Hunter Slade – Photo by Mikki G

After a brief meditation in a chair in the waterlogged Artists’ Tent, I went to survey the damage to the Labyrinth of the Unbroken Path. Fortunately, my art is amenable to weathering as the washed out colors in the decoupage seem to add the wisdom of wear to the messages, and any pieces that fall off can be filled in again with Sharpies or paints. Once I was once again pleased with the display, I went back to the Artists’ Tent and became the first person at the festival to get my face painted.

Hunter Slade says he paints people’s auras. When he finished adding an assortment of color, he said, “I kind of want to add black, but I don’t see any black in you.” I took that as a compliment and set out to showcase Hunter’s latest work of art.

I wasn’t a few steps out of the tent when someone asked if I could help get a stuck golf cart out of the mud. The spinning wheel was getting no traction so I grabbed a piece of plywood from the effigy, and put it under the wheel with the help of some of the beefier festival goers. With a little push, it made it out only to get stuck again ten yards away. With another good push, I was able to get it loose and a fresh spattering of mud along my right side. I decided not to bother washing it off. With my painted face, bare feet, bare chest, ripped denim shorts, and earthen badge of courage, someone said I was the ultimate festival baby. I took that as a compliment too.

Charissa Saverio – Photo by Mikki G

Because the Artists’ Tent seemed to have been erected in a swamp, I helped Hunter move his stuff to higher ground, and returned to the hammock for an afternoon swing. My camp was in Mr. Bean’s Wonderland, which boasted a full day of different DJs. I’ve never been a huge fan of a lot of the music coming through the speakers, and I’m pretty sure that there were certain vortexes between the stages that triggered neuroleptic fits in passersby, but in general, I found it oddly relaxing, in a pulsing, knocking, grinding sort of way. At least they mixed in some songs I knew to make the arrangements more interesting.

The festival goers were a unique mix of burners and ravers, hippies and house kids. My photographer friend Mikki G said that the appropriate term is ¨hybrid.¨ The result is interesting to say the least.

A casualty from the storm

After moving the artists and equipping them with individual tents, an afternoon storm swept in and shook up the establishment. Though no rain accompanied it, wind flurries lifted tents, mangling the ones that weren’t grabbed quickly enough. Fearing the worst, the vendors put away their wares and did their best to make the most of the situation.

The wind subsided as the sun set into a milky horizon and the darkness was ignited with flashing lights, glow sticks and spinning fire. The three different stages each offered their own signature styles as various DJ’s took their turn spinning beats to keep the festival goers in a constant state of groove.

At first I found it almost disconcerting, the odd dichotomy between the pasturesque landscape and the driving beats of dub step and electronica. A few people that I talked to also felt that the melange was a bit… inorganic. Perhaps I’m a bit too old to really get this generation, but when I consider the festivities I would include while building toward a prayer for world peace, I wouldn’t have an afternoon of electronica. But maybe I’m a bit old school.

Fire spinners abounded at EarthDance

Yet as the night wore on and I got closer to the fray, my friend Lyndsay clued me in to how she felt peaceful in letting her body go into the driving beats and grinding rhythms. I approached the stage to watch the performers embracing flames, spinning fire, spitting fire, and swallowing fire, letting the music take me into a greater appreciation for the realization that everyone takes their own path to peace. That is, after all, what I call the Unbroken Path.

As fire dancers continued to spin throughout the area, hula hoopers took to the stage, bringing this childhood toy from recent workout craze to bona fide art form. I’ve seem some pretty incredible hoopers lately, including Hunter’s girlfriend Audrey, and watching that kind of performance with that kind of dance made me appreciate the event a bit more. As hip hop breakdancers took the stage later on, I began to think about what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi wrote about that zone of flow and the nature of enjoyment, and I understood this vantage point on the path to peace a bit better.

To be continued…

EarthDance: From Hippies to Hybrids is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Choose Rainforest Alliance Certified™ chocolate for Halloween treats. Farmed on over 18 million acres of tropical land, some five million farmers rely on cocoa for their livelihoods. Unfortunately, many of these clear forests to expand their cocoa-growing lands. By choosing chocolate that features the green frog seal, you’re rewarding farmers that protect tropical forests and support the well-being of workers and local communities.

Make terrifyingly tasty treats with Rainforest Alliance Certified chocolate, bananas and coffee. Check out our “Haunted Halloween Recipes” and visit our Shop the Frog page to find certified products near you.

3)      Teach your kids where their favorite chocolate treats come from and how they impact people, wildlife and the planet. Visit the Rainforest Alliance’s Kids’ Corner and play the online game Track it Back, to learn where chocolate comes from, where cocoa is grown and how it is harvested! Also visit our virtual rainforest, “Living in the Chocó Forests of Ecuador: The Chachi Cocoa Farmers.” (Brush up on your own knowledge about cocoa farming here.)

4)      Ensure your little trick-or-treater collects candy with a reusable bag. Even better, promote our global conservation work by giving tricker or treaters Rainforest Alliance reusable bags – your gift with a $50 donation.

5)      Instead of driving, walk your tick-or-treater around your local neighborhood. By walking, you are helping to save emissions, while also saving on your gas bill! It will also help to burn off the extra candy calories!

Keep it up! Supporting an eco-friendly lifestyle should be a daily event, not an occasional act. With a little thought, and some guidance from the Rainforest Alliance, you can easily apply these green Halloween tips to your everyday life. 

Photo courtesy Denis Collette…!!!

The Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers. From large multinational corporations to small, community-based cooperatives, businesses and consumers worldwide are involved in the Rainforest Alliance’s efforts to bring responsibly produced goods and services to a global marketplace where the demand for sustainability is growing steadily. For more information, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.

The Rainforest Alliance’s Five Tips to Green Your Halloween is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Deciding to market in a more environmentally conscious way proves that you care about the Earth and the people that inhabit it. However, eco-marketing comes with its own set of challenges, and not everything is as cut and dry as it seems. So, before you start taking the eco-marketing initiative, you should understand a few important elements that could save you time and a headache later.

With green marketing comes green responsibility.

If you’re selling a green product, then chances are that you label it accordingly. Using green symbols and certificates on your products ensures that the public is fully aware of the eco-friendliness of the items. Consider using green symbols on your website and every product you sell, and explain the company’s green practices whenever possible.

Green education is the mother of green leadership.

Even though 70 percent of Americans consider eco-friendly products, it doesn’t necessarily mean they understand the full benefits of “going green.” You also have to explain the benefits of your green products. If you sell paper products, explain why paper is better than plastic. Did you know it takes almost 1,000 years for a plastic bag to degrade? Some people may not know that, so it’s your job to lead the way in educating your customers about your products.

If it walks, talks, and quacks like a green duck, it probably is one. You must practice what you preach if you want people to take your business seriously. If you’re trying to save the trees, don’t mail out millions of paper flyers. You have to consider every possible alternative when running an eco-friendly business and your marketing technique must also reflect your company’s initiative.

Although you have several things to consider, green marketing is not as hard as it sounds. As long as you provide suitable education and remain honest in your business practices, your company will succeed as it helps to protect the environment.

Megan Vick is a blogger, tech-geek, fitness fiend, animal and environment lover, green goddess, and world traveler.  By day, she is a creative content specialist for WaterFilters.Net and by night, she uses organic and vegan ingredients to make bath and body products for Shorganics.

How to Use Eco-Marketing for Your Business is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Maybe the thought of taking my pets to the Vet is a thing that only scares me, but whenever my dog is ill I am always looking for alternatives methods I can safely use at home.

Not only is he scared of the place, the poor thing, but every time I visit I walk away with a huge bill.

Now if you’re anything like me and dread the bill AND the experience, then you might like the following remedies I have found. All can easily be made at home; are safe to use on your dog and won’t cost you a fortune as you can make them in patches.

1. Treating fleas

I know you can buy relatively cheap sprays – even from your supermarket – but if your dog has got sensitive skin like mine then you’re probably not keen on using them. Here is a couple I use often that he happily allows me to apply:

• Take 1 cup of olive oil and add 5 drops each of tea tree, pennyroyal, lemon verbena, lavender, eucalyptus and cedarwood essential oil. Once mixed spray it along your dogs top line and work it into their coat. Note: avoid their eyes.
• Make a dusting powder consisting of dried wormwood leaves, dried Shasta daisies, dried lavender blossoms, dried lemon balm or lemon thyme and ½ cup of tapioca starch, before adding 5 drops of tea tree, cedarwood and eucalyptus essential oils. Blend by mixing these in a food processor, then sprinkle onto your dog’s bedding and their fur coat.

2. Wounds

From getting thorns caught in their paws to injuring themselves on wires/fencing whilst out walking, your pet can suffer from wounds more often than you think. Obviously if it is a serious wound, you need to take your dog to the Vets. However for minor wounds you can make your own herbal ointments and salves.

• For a first aid salve, you will need 1 tbsp each of pine pitch oil, calendula infused oil, comfrey infused oil,St John’sWort infused oil and balm of Gilead infused oil. Once blended you will need to add ¼ cup of bees wax and ¼ cup of virgin coconut oil. This will reduce inflammation, draw out potential infections and encourage your dog’s skin to heal.
• For tender paws I like to bathe my dogs put in warm water containing 1tbsp of sea salt and 1tbsp of Epsom salt. Once dried I apply a salve containing bees was, coconut oil, infused oils of balm of Gilead, comfrey leaf, calendula blossoms, St John’s Wort, 2 drops of tea tree oil and 2 drops of lavender essential. Apply this oil twice a day, then wrap their paw in gauze and an elastic bandage.

3. Upset stomach

My dog is always trying to eat things he shouldn’t and when I’m unable to prevent him, he tends to get an upset stomach.

• Make a mash from whey and raw oatmeal, then add Oregon grape root, nettles, chick weed, marsh-mallow and chamomile. Mix, then add a tsp of honey (to improve the flavour).

4. Anxiety

New Year is a bad time for my dog as he hates fireworks. To help take off the anxiety, I first try to disguise the noise and if I can put him somewhere where he can’t hear the loud bangs, then I make him a strong tea containing chamomile blossoms or skull cap which I add to his food.

5. Arthritis

Thankfully he has not developed this yet, but if your dog is showing signs, you can offer the following to help ease their pain and improve their health.

• Take wheat completely out of their diet
• Add the following dried, powdered herbs to their food: kelp meal, nettle, comfrey, willow bark, chickweed, plantain and dandelion leaf.
• Add virgin coconut oil to their evening meal (1tsp-1tbsp)

Hopefully these herbal remedies can offer your pet the same support they have offered mine. However, if the condition of your pet is bad or worsens I strongly recommend taking them to the Vets.

Image courtesy Pictures by Dave.

Ellie Oliver writes about Aromatherapy, Essentials Oils and other Natural Remedies. Being an animal lover and pet owner, Ellie researched the effect of aromatherapy products on her cuddly flat mates.

How to create homemade herbal remedies for your dog? is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Earthdance is a three day festival celebrating peace, art, community, and all of the things that I find cool. I was really honored to be invited to install the Labyrinth of the Unbroken Path. The organizers had really wanted to include a walking labyrinth so it worked out nicely that the path I’ve developed consistently leads to more and more fortuitous situations.

Artist Van Jazmin and Event Coordinator Belinda – Photo by Mikki G

I caught a ride with Sarasota’s artistic juggernaut Van Jazmin and his girlfriend, another blossoming artist by the name of Darcy Little, and had the Labyrinth set up in an open field away from the fray by the time the sun set on Thursday. Although the pastureland of Maddox Ranch was cleared of manure before the event, the removal did not include mud puddles or ant hills. After my first walk across the property, I ditched my already soaked Sanuks and opted for a barefoot weekend. Of course, within fifteen minutes my feet were pocked with a lifetime’s worth of ant bites. Fortunately, the mud puddles provided moments of soothing relief.

Music was already spinning when I got here. The organizers had been working for a few days prior to assemble stages, design patterns, and create an ambiance through which attendees would experience a festival of wonder, freedom, community, and magic. Although the festival did not officially begin until the next day, by Thursday night, the former pasture was filled with an estimated 400 people, pocked with tents, sewn together with sheets and tapestries, our own little anthills of fabric, color, sound, and love.

The First Step of The Labyrinth of the Unbroken Path

Although everyone brought their own fury at the way the outside world had treated them, the humilities and compromises that infused their experience of life in the last spin of the revolution industrial, although they carried them in along with their tents, coolers, and costumes, they came because they wanted to find peace. So in the shadows of oak trees that have seen more of life in Florida, a fence away from horses we could watch but not touch, we came searching for and providing the avenues for peace.

And although these avenues often included, as they do in “normal” life, a wide array of chemically induced euphoric episodes, and DJ’s spinning their original grooves, it was balanced with a schedule of meditation, yoga, painting, and conversation. We came to be people at peace with who we are as people, to be accepted in all of our strangeness, and ground ourselves in what it means to be fully human, in all of its splendor, play, folly, and sweat. And in our clusters, amidst the head-bobbing jams of house music in a place without a roof, we found a place to feel at home.

Having given my tent away a few months ago, and having forgotten my yoga mat in a friend’s car the night before, I wasn’t really sure where I would find to sleep. Fortunately, as most things in my life are, Hunter Slade, yet another incredible artist friend of mine, had a hammock and a sheet that suited me perfectly. But as I sat to celebrate my new home, swaying ‘tween the trees and jotting down these thoughts, my rooflessness was made evident as the rain started to trickle in. I made it to the Artists’ Tent before the deluge hit, but it hit some of the tents pretty hard. The Artists Tent became a refuge for other victims of the storm, like my friends Lyndsay and Alix, whose plan for their Starlette Sisters display of recycled art did not include a flooded tent.

The Starlette Sisters Make Treasures from Trash – Photo by Mikki G

When they had dried, Alix eventually pulled out her banjo and started plucking out a tune. I got my guitar, we tuned up, and she laughed at me when I wanted to play one of my favorite cover songs, and said she just wanted to jam. So I started playing a little rhythm as we found our groove together, and it was a lot of fun just playing for awhile and working on my finger work.

But she finally let me play my cover, and to the rain-soaked denizens of Maddox Ranch, I gave the loudest performance of “What’s Up?” I could muster. Part of me wanted people to bring their own instruments for a fun night of music before the big festivities began, and part of me just wanted to make sure that everybody within ear shot began those festivities with “Hey-yay-yay-yay hey-yay-yay, I said Hey, what’s goin’ on” running through their head. I find it very centering.

After the rain stopped and I shook the drops from my hammock, I got a relatively good night of sleep, at least compared to those whose tents had flooded in the downpour. Aided by the ear plugs Alix gave me, I fell asleep to the muted beats of trance music in search of a dream for peace.

To be continued…

Preparing EarthDance for Peace is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Operation Smile provides free reconstructive surgery for children around the world who are suffering from facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate – healing their smiles and transforming their lives forever. Sanuk has partnered with Operation Smile for nearly 2 years providing donations that have helped heal over 500 children worldwide. Recently a team of employees and surfers from Sanuk traveled to Peru to participate in one of Operation Smile’s medical missions. Sanuk surfers Matt Meola, Torrey Meister and Alek Parker volunteered on the eight day mission, quickly becoming popular with the local families, doctors, and Operation Smile medical volunteers.

Smile…Pass it on! So says Sanuk Footwear is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Go Organic, Go Local. Food is one of the most important aspects of any event and the menu should reflect you as a couple. If you like to shop at the neighborhood fresh market, then work with your caterer to incorporate some of those local ingredients into your menu. Hosting your event at a green restaurant or hiring an organic caterer are also great ways to give your guests a delicious, sustainable meal without the chemicals and toxins.

Environmental Bling. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but at what cost? Work together as a couple to find an eco-friendly jeweler that offers ethically sourced fine jewelry, recycled precious metals and conflict free diamonds. You will get all of the sparkle you desire without the environmental and human harm.

Save a Tree. The typical bride uses a lot of paper during the entire wedding planning process. Save-the-dates, multiple page invitations, response cards, envelopes, wedding programs, place cards and thank you cards can cause a lot of unnecessary waste. First and foremost: use recycled paper. Many companies offer 100% recycled paper invitations that are unique, elegant and reduce source consumption significantly. A good way to minimize paper usage is to ditch the invitation lining as well as separate enclosure cards and instead, send single-page invites with detachable response cards. Creating a personalized wedding website is a modern way of providing important information. Guests may visit the site to obtain details on the event such as reception location and directions, dress-code, gift registry and even confirm their attendance.

Green Gown. Purchasing an eco-friendly gown does not mean you have to forego your dream dress. It’s all in the materials that are used for production of the garment. Elegant fabrics such as Organic Cotton Tulle, Peace Silk, Organic Cotton Sateen and Duchess Satin, to name a few, are often used to create stunning eco-chic gowns. Big name designers such as Vera Wang and Oscar de la Renta are now incorporating organic textiles in their collections for the modern bride. And don’t forget about the groom! Instead of purchasing a tuxedo that he is likely to never wear again, rent tuxes for the groom and groomsmen. This will not only save on cost but it’s a great way to reduce waste on one-time-wear items.

Sustainable Favors. Long gone are the days of giving dull trinkets that are destined for a junk drawer or, even worse, the trash! Show your appreciation to your guests by sending them off with something they can keep and actually use. Flower & herb seeds, personalized soy candles and organic chocolates are all great options. If perhaps you choose to forego favors all together, consider making a donation to a charity on your guests’ behalf.

Eco-fabulous Flowers. Less is more! Use locally picked, seasonal organic flowers that are not sprayed with toxins to create simple elegant bouquets and centerpieces. If perhaps you’re looking to do something different, cotton bouquets and accents are a growing trend and a natural resource. Using faux flowers that do not contain artificial dyes is also a good alternative.

Peace of Mind- Break away from the traditional day at the spa and instead, treat your bridal party to a yoga class. You and your bridesmaids will be relaxed and rejuvenated for the big day!

Image courtesy Organic Bouquet.

Atali Maruri is a full-time fashion buyer by day and a freelance writer by night (and on the weekends!). Her writing has been published in several luxury lifestyle regional magazines and websites. In addition to her love for fashion and the written word, she is passionate about yoga, travel and living life to the fullest.

Eco-fabulous Wedding: 7 ways to go green on your big day is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag