To thank guests for attending their Oct. 11 wedding in Elora, Melanie Anderson and Curt Hammond will offset the carbon emissions from the car and plane trips their guests generated getting to the ceremony.
The couple will make a donation to NeighbourWoods, which will use the funds to plant trees in Elora.
“We thought this was a great way to show our guests how much we really appreciate them being at our wedding,” said Anderson.
“We are trying hard to minimize the footprint from the wedding. This seemed like the natural way to say thanks and make a difference.”
NeighbourWoods director Toni Ellis said “This is such a lovely gift from two people who care deeply about their community. We are very happy that Mel and Curt have put this green focus on their wedding and we are thrilled that they will be contributing to growing our tree cover here in Centre Wellington.”
As part of their on-line RSVP, the couple asked guests how far they would be driving or flying to get to the wedding. Starting at the Elora Centre for Environmental Excellence website and following the Carbon U Turn link, the couple calculated guests travelling to and from the wedding will generate close to 9.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Since one tree can sequester (or absorb) about a half-tonne of carbon over 35 years, the couple has made a donation to fund the planting of 17 trees next spring.
“We are happy that we can offer residents the chance to offset their carbon emissions by planting trees locally. People like Mel and Curt can see their money at work. And, of course, they get a tax receipt for their donation,” Ellis added.
“Offsets are not the final solution to our green house gas crisis,” said Hammond. “But they do help us understand we need to think about the impact of our energy hungry lifestyles.
“We are really proud to support NeighbourWoods. We feel this is a local opportunity to make a difference and leave a lasting gift for our families, friends and community.”
