You are engaged! You are getting married! Super exciting, because you found the person you would like to hang out with forever. One thing that most (still not all) weddings have in common is that somebody will buy you a present. In fact, weddings are one of the few moments in life where people will buy you what you ask for. Exactly what you ask for.

It's often uncomfortable to talk about, but the wedding registry actually gives you the opportunity to ask for exactly what you want, shame-free.

This (actually pretty weird) tradition all comes from the good old days when people got married immediately after leaving their parents' home. So they needed a lot of stuff to get them started. Now, this isn't often the case (though for some people it still is), but people still get to make very specific choices about what they want and need for their new life.

I am here to beg you to use this newfound registry power for good.

Yes, you have a lot to worry about already, but like your wedding, your registry can have a huge positive or negative impact on the environment. You can choose all items that you actually need, that will actually last, that don't add to our ever-growing pile of waste, and that were made by humans who were treated like humans. This may seem like a low bar for an item, but actually much of what we buy no longer fulfills this criteria.

Your registry is all about the future, so use it as an opportunity to build a world you can feel proud of (and where you can still breathe and drink water and so forth).

Does this mean you have to become completely granola? Only buy things made of hemp? No. Any couple in any lifestyle can implement simple, easy changes to help the planet and protect the future. We know that consumerism is directly linked to so many of the problems plaguing our Earth, from climate change to plastic pollution in the ocean, and weddings are often a huge affair that encourages a lot of shopping and spending.

People will buy you what you ask for (mostly, someone is still getting you a platter with your faces on it). Ask for things that make the world a teensy bit better.


Most people approach the wedding registry with two basic questions- "What am I supposed to have?" and "What do I want?"

Making a wedding registry more eco-friendly requires you to add (and maybe prioritize) some radical questions to help you and your partner flip the plot:

1. Do we already have this? Do we even need it? 

The first step is making a list. Instead of accepting the lists spread around, start by crossing off as many of their "suggestions" as possible. Cross off what you have that works. Cross off what you don't need. Cross off anything that you wouldn't bother to buy yourself.

Yes, your toaster is ugly, but does it still make toast? Yes, a registry can be a great time to replace things that are ready for retirement, but the best way to have a registry that really works is to focus on what you actually need. Not to mention, being happy with life in general is all about being happy with what you already have. If you can keep making something work, do that!

 Feel empowered to keep what still works, even if the Matrimonial Gods seem to be saying otherwise.

Overconsumption can look like an American value, but our obsession with stuff burdens our lives, wastes our time (we buy a bigger house, we buy stuff to fill it, we have to clean all those surfaces and work harder to pay for them), and just generally chips away at our happiness. Studies prove that clutter is bad for our homes, our heads, and our marriages. Not exactly the foot you want to start on.

Too much is also terrible for the environment. Our love of having ALL THE STUFF also means that we use more fossil fuels by shipping our stuff all over the world, we create excessive garbage (because that shitty plastic clock doesn't have a use once it breaks), and we fuel an economy of cheap and easy (meaning companies push for cheap labor instead of quality and ethically-made values).

So this is me, empowering you to only bother with the things you actually care about. Skip the rest.

2. Can we get this used? 

So you have a registry list; take a trip to your local Consignment store and see if you can cross anything off it at a pretty low cost.

We all want brand new cooling racks and hand towels, right? But, why? There are some things on every pinterest "you need this on your registry" list that you can easily get through community gifting like a Buy Nothing group or in any good-sized consignment store. Checking out what used options are out there can cut your list down even more, so you can focus on quality and not quantity.

If you can get the same wastebasket for 2 dollars, wouldn't you rather receive something else as a gift?

Buying things used is one of the most eco-friendly changes you can make to your life, and it will save you tons of money. Buying secondhand means you are keeping someone else's trash out of the landfill. These items usually move shorter distances from household to household, wasting significantly less fossil fuels and creating far fewer emissions by skipping shipping, packaging, and manufacturing. Plus, so often you can find things that are actually better quality than anything you will get in the store, because it was built many years ago to last.

3. Can I find a recycled option for this item? How about Made in America? Plastic-free? 

Instead of picking items based on what aesthetic appeals most to you, look to see if you can find things made as locally as possible. For us, that means Made in America. It is totally possible to have a wedding registry with only made in America items!

You may not think of Made in America as being eco-friendly, but every Made in a Far Away Land item has to travel all that way from it's manufacturing to your gift table. That wastes a lot of fossil fuels! This is just the tip of the iceberg; Made in America products often are held to higher environmental and labor standards (ok, less so lately), so you can feel confident that you are both supporting American workers and refusing to support the gross mistreatment of other human beings.

Because nothing says joyous day and lifelong commitment like someone in a sweatshop making your towels. We can do better. 

Caring about materials can make a big difference too. Recycled products keep things out of landfills. We also know now that plastic is a growing epidemic for our world and our water. Every time you have the option to avoid it, please do so. We all desperately need to break up with plastic.

By choosing Made in America and recycled products, you are also sending the message to companies over and over again that the ethics of what you buy are important to you and that you will support ethical and environmentally conscious products. It creates a positive feedback loop and ends the message they receive over and over that people don't care, they just want what they want when they want it.

So the last question worth asking- Do you Even Need a Registry? 

The answer to that is totally up to you. It is a social expectation, but like so many of those, it isn't particularly relevant for many of us. People will want to buy gifts, but you can decide what a worthwhile, not wasteful gift looks like for you. Yep, guests will have opinions, but you will be just as married.


First, you could just set up a honeymoon (or house, or college debt, etc.) fund, and ask everyone to donate to that. I love this wording, which is fun and playful. I also love when people say where their honeymoon will be or exactly where the money will go.

Second, you could have a potluck wedding, and ask each guest to bring a dish. It will save you thousands on food, and I think it would have a warm, family feel. I love this idea, especially if you want to be married but feel like you need to win the lottery to actually pull it off.

Lastly, you could just have a no gift wedding. Say "your presence is the only present we'll need," smile politely when a guest or two doesn't listen, and remove that element from your nupitals. If you are grown, you probably don't need much anyway.

If nothing else, go small. People like to know what to do, but you don't have to give them an epic list of options.

Having gone through it, I would point out that even if you have a tiny registry, you are less likely to get 20 things you don't want (maybe only 5-10). If these all feel too out there or against your community or family culture, I still have so many green ideas for you.

So, let's do this. 

You may be thinking "But Barbara, I have 40+ items on my wedding registry. I don't have time to research Made in America options for every one of them." Truth, friend, you are planning a wedding! You are busy enough!

On the other hand, I am not planning a wedding, so I have compiled a huge list here, so feel free to poke around. I used Amazon for as many links as I could, to simplify, but I highly encourage you to register somewhere small, not just on a big chain or website. I am an affiliate for Amazon, but seriously, you can and should spend money elsewhere.

Registries are long unwieldy things on a normal day, this is no different. I split it into parts so you can wade your way through a little bit at a time.

The Wedding Registry 

Kitchen Part 1

Kitchen Part 2

Dining Room 

Bedroom and Bathroom

Living Room, Outdoor Space, Cleaning, and Everything Else

If you want to transition into a more environmentally conscious or ethical lifestyle, you can also check out this post on Eco-Friendly items for every Wedding Registry for ideas.


So much more wedding wisdom coming up on the blog! Check out this Green Weddings Page for more ideas of how to have an event with a truly positive impact.

So your friends are getting married, and you want to throw them a party- so exciting! Weddings are a great time to celebrate and to think about the future. One great way to protect that future is to throw an environmentally conscious event, focusing on taking care of the environment. Because a happy future may have a mixer in it, but a happier future has clean air.

You don't have to announce it; your guests will probably not even notice the difference, they will only notice what a great time they had. So let's look at simple ways to throw an amazing shower:

1. Go Recycled Paper (or Paperless) for your Invitations

What do you do with an invitation after a party? Usually, the answer is throw it away. That is a lot of added waste to the world! Instead, you can go two different directions (depending on the formality and tech saviness of your crowd).

First, you can find recycled options for all of your invitations. No trees have to come down so you can throw a brunch.

I found a bunch of stationary places that use recycled paper; some are even filled with seeds so you can plant them! To check out these amazing companies, look at this post. Since then, I have also fallen in love with Whole Weddings, that does gorgeous plantable invitations as well.

If you have a younger crowd, you can probably get away with paperless invitations for your event. I think evite.com and Paperless Post offer really cute invitations, and you can track RSVP's and ask for pictures from the same site, which is pretty convenient. This may have been a faux pas 10 years ago, but now most people think of it as commonplace.

2. Switch Up the Registry

Wedding showers are really all about the gifts, so to have a green shower, you really need to think of all the gifts being consumed. It may seem strange at first, but consumerism is one of the key factors in climate change, so it takes a change in consumerism to see things improve.

If you love the couple enough to throw them a shower, you may love them enough to throw in a suggestion or two. It can be tempting to approach the registry with a "what do we want" attitude, but thinking more about what they need and what does good. That means a shift in priorities, but even more it means that they would have to do all sorts of research to have an ethical, lasting, and green registry.

Luckily, I have done all that work already. You can literally scroll through this registry and find everything on their list ethically and locally-made. If nothing else, it might be a fun thing for them to browse through as they figure out what the heck they are going to do with their registry!

3. Suggest Secondhand, Experiences, or Just Money 

(No, Really!)

There is this unwritten rule that you never EVER even mention the registry on a wedding or shower invitation. You would NEVER dare to ask for money or help with your honeymoon. It is UNHEARD of to actually ask for things secondhand. I mean, who would do that!??! New is so NEW?!?!

Alright everyone, let's stop clutching our pearls for a minute and get real.

A shower is literally a party where the couple (often the bride because obviously only heterosexual women use towels) is SHOWERED with gifts. It is a "we'll give you scones, you give us a blender party." Why are people not allowed to say this? Why do we have to pretend? It may be too much for the couple to say what they really want is help with their honeymoon, but you as their host can pass that message along.

Not only that, but money toward a down payment or honeymoon is WAY more eco-friendly than the gift of a toaster (when they already have a toaster but felt like they had to register for something). And if the couple is eco-friendly, secondhand alternatives to the items on their registry keeps more things out of landfills and in use.

So, consider being a huge rule breaker and actually telling people what the couple want. Maybe their grandmas will be offended, but really, will anyone else care?

4. Serve (Sneaky) Vegetarian Treats

In general, the production of meat products come at huge environmental price; they use up resources and cause a lot of waste. All the dead zones in the ocean you hear about? They are basically caused by the waste of beef production. If you want to cut into climate change, eat way less meat. Fish turns out to have serious problems as well; fishing nets are the number one source of plastic in the oceans.

You can usually only control what you do, but when you throw a party, you control what everybody does. A good host or hostess is really just someone who knows how to properly wield power (i kid, sort of). So, for this event, you get to control what everyone on the guest list eats for lunch. Choose something vegetarian. That's a little less food being eaten, and people will probably not even notice. Try a bunch of soups, an amazing salad, or some pasta. Give them carbs, and no one will complain.

This little gesture can keep a bunch of meat from being eaten and might even inspire a guest!

5. Focus on Memories, Not Materialism

Showers are kind of the worst in that they are the apex of capitalism. They are literally just about showering someone in stuff that you bought. There are games about the stuff that you bought. Everyone has to pretend to be excited about the stuff other people bought.

But seriously, who cares?

The couple picks out exactly what they want, they can track how it is going, and then they receive it. It would be like if every student watched while their other students turn in their assignments. Yes, you did your homework. And if this is a rare time where the bride(s) or groom(s) get to be with their loved ones, do they really want to spend it opening a mixer? (Seriously, who cares? Pretending about caring about other peoples' shower gifts is one of the worst parts about being a woman. It's up there with cramps and inexplicable gender inequality).

So I am suggesting an absolutely radical step to take at the shower you host: Don't open the presents there.

Instead, think about other things people can share at the shower. For my shower, everyone brought a scrapbook page or two. It was an amazing gift, and many of the pages have only grown more precious to me as life happens. You could have all of your guests show off their pages instead of giving a gift. Or each person could bring a piece of advice to share. Bring a recipe and a memory about it to put into one big book. There are so many options here, and you should do whatever best fits the couple.

You can let people know ahead of time, so if there is something they really want to watch be opened, they can come up with another plan.

Yes, someone will complain. Who cares? People will complain about anything.

6. Go Outside

The easiest way to have a beautiful party without spending a bunch of money on decorations or a fancy room is to simply have it outside. A beautiful venue means you won't need much to make it special, and the less you decorate with, the less waste you make.

Yes, this can be risky if you live in a rainy place (and obviously seasons come into play here too), but if you can have your party outside, do it!

Not only will it save you money, but it also nearly guarantees your guests will have a better time. Being outside and in the sun creates all sorts of positive chemical reactions in all of our brains. The pictures will all have great light. People will remember it fondly. We all are happier when we live outside. Such a simple shift in planning, but it has a huge effect and will save lots of waste.

from startadaycareservice.com

7. Decorate With Meaning (And Without Balloons)

If you want to nail the decorations I have two big pieces of advice:

1. Think about decorations that could be used again.
2. Only bother with decorations that are meaningful.

Neither of these are particularly "green" advice, but in following these ideas, you can actually do all sorts of good for the environment. It couldn't be easier to run to Target or Walmart and just grab some stuff from the party aisle; vinyl tablecloths, balloons, and themed paper plates.

But balloons and disposables are terrible for the environment. Both not only introduce more chemicals into our water and land (causing a lot of harm to our bodies) but they are also easily mistaken for food by birds. And honestly, balloons are not that cute. You can do better. Check this blog for tons of ideas for simple and cost-effective replacements. There are more than you think!

That said, when you decorate, if you focus on things that can be used again (vases that can be game prizes, reusable napkins to stock the couple for life, picture frames to take home, scrapbook pages to be treasured later, etc), you can set the couple's home up with treasures that are already deeply meaningful and imbued with the love of that day. My favorite idea? Decorate each table with a sapling or small plant, and then go plant them in the couple's yard (if they have one). What a happy thing to help them remember (and breathe).

That's pretty cool, and certainly beats a garbage bag full of balloons. Maybe you will have fewer things, but a few focal points tends to make a bigger impact anyway.

Think about the couple. Are they athletes? Use balls as part of your center piece (and they can take them home with them). Nerds? How about lego centerpieces. If you stop thinking of what showers are like and start thinking about what the couple is like, you will throw a way more memorable party.

8. Use Reusable Party Supplies. Not Available? Go Compostable

If you can, use reusable forks, plates, and napkins. If the place you are having the party have them available, use them! You can have a dish washing after party (no seriously, leftover drinks and dish towels and chatting sounds perfectly fun to me). If you are having a more formal event in a space without reusable stuff, check with party suppliers nearby (or your caterer) so you can rent.

Your last option is to find compostable options for all the cutlery, plates and cups you need. In bulk, it is similarly priced to plastic, but it is WAY better for the Earth and it looks a lot less tacky.

Plastic looks like garbage, because it is garbage. If you want a party that looks good, you shouldn't use plastic.

Check this post for all of your party supply needs. Good stuff is out there, you just have to know where to look.

9. Get Thrifty

If you are looking for supplies or a platter, consider checking your local thrift shops. You can always find neat things there that might be the perfect fit for your party. People donate regularly to thrift stores, but don't always think of them as good options for shopping themselves. Walk through one and see if you feel inspired!

10. Choose a Green Favor

If you are going to do a favor (which really, you don't have to), do something that is zero waste. Maybe choose a plant or seeds for everyone to take home. At my shower, my amazing MOH made washcloths rolled up to be lollipops that people took home to use. Washcloths are actually useful! Start by thinking of usefulness. You can read lots of favor ideas on this post.

 If nothing else, just avoid those stinking cozies or some sort of lame treat wrapped in plastic. Other mistakes to avoid? Anything "personalized"- do I really want to carry a tote bag with a cute saying or the couple's wedding date on it? No. But if you make it a little more subtle, I will be all about it.

11. Donate your Leftovers, Recycle your Waste

The last thing you can do to make your party greener is to think about what you do with what's left. Leftover food can be donated to nearby shelters. Any food you can't donate can be composted to make soil instead of garbage, and if you got compostable plates or silverware, you can throw them in the same pot.

On the same end, if something is recyclable, recycle it. If paper or bags can be reused, save it. The less you have in those garbage cans at the end of the day, the more good you have done.



Have an amazing party! Your friends are so lucky that you are celebrating their present happiness and taking care of their future!

Congratulations! You are getting married!

Wedding planning is an amazing time- we had so much fun planning ours- but it can be easy to get so focused on that day we forget we are headed toward a big new future! How exciting that you have a whole life with this wonderful person you love.

This is actually the perfect time to protect that future by taking care of the environment.

Imagining trips to the beach some day as a family? Let's keep that water clean.
Dreaming of big family dinners? Then we have to pay attention to how our waste is effecting our food sources
You want to sit on the front porch fifty years from now, breathing in sweet summer air? Then we have to take care of that air!

A wedding can feel like the perfect time to focus on yourself, but simple switches can make your wedding greener and to take care of your beautiful future together as well. You may have a particular image in your mind when you hear "green wedding" but ANY wedding in ANY style can have a positive environmental impact.

With a few simple switches you can do good, SAVE money, and save the Earth! Let's do this!

from AlisonKateDesign

1. Send Your Invites, Save the Trees

Weddings tend to use a lot of paper. Choose invitations that are made of recycled paper, and you can save a tree! They cost about the same, and do so much more good. Check out options in this post. If you are having a less formal event, you could go completely paperless and do digital invites instead.

2. Only Register for What You Actually Want

Our homes are way too full, and it is adding to our stress, our marital strife, and our negative impact on the planet. Consumerism is one of the key sources of climate change. What does this have to do with your wedding registry? Stores create these epic lists of things you "need" but their real goal is to sell as much as possible.

You know what you need! Go through that list and cross most of it off. By simply registering for less, you can focus on what you actually need and start a family culture where clutter and waste are unacceptable. Here are more ways I wish I could do again for my registry, but the most important point is that you know what you need, and then stop.

Register for only what you need, and then start a honeyfund and have an adventure together! Stuff doesn't make a marriage. Memories do.

3. And Find the Greener Version

Once you know what you want to register for, check out the Eco-Friendly Wedding Registry. You may think everything is Made in China out of plastic, but it isn't true! We will prove it to you.

When else in life can you control where so much money goes? Put it to positive use by supporting local and ethical companies.  You can quickly go through the lists and switch out what you were thinking for the greener option.

There are also a few object you may not have thought of that can help you kick off a greener lifestyle in your marriage. Check out this list of reusables you haven't thought of.

4. Choose Ethical Rings

Diamonds and other jewelry can come at a huge ethical and environmental price, but lucky for all of us, better options are out there. Think about alternative gemstones, all secondhand and vintage stones and settings, or ethical, fair-trade companies like Bright Earth.

If you want to see just how many options are out there, check out this list of Ethical and Eco-Friendly Rings.

5. Dress the Part

Don't go to David's Bridal! Those dresses are mostly made in Elsewhere using synthetic fibers (that's right, your dress is made of plastic- luxurious, right?)

There are so many options out there- consider shopping for yourself and your wedding party in places that make their dresses locally (you can even find Etsy wedding dresses), use real materials, OR go really bold and rent things from places like Rent the Runway! Great way to save money, and your bridemaid is never going to wear that dress again anyway.

Reuse is key here, so check out our ideas for bridesmaid dresses that can actually be used again.

And if you are feeling really bold, consider donating your dress once you are hitched, so it can continue to get use. Check out this list of pretty amazing ways your dress can keep getting use when you are done with it.

6. Think Reusable

This is supposed to be the most special day of your life, right?

Ack! Let's hope not, because you have a lot of days left. Instead of splurging for tons of one time use objects like card boxes and cake toppers, choose what you use based on what you (or someone else) can use again. Yes, it feels expensive, but rent your linens, silverware, ANYTHING that you have as an option.

The goal is to create as little waste as possible, so if you can't imagine keeping it or gifting it, don't spend money on it.

There are so many ways to do this and still save money. You can also think about buying as much secondhand as possible and selling it back after you are done. Check out this list of options on how to save money on wedding decorations while still being eco-friendly!

I also love the idea of making it yourself. Especially if you use things that you can take apart and use again. What DIY ideas are you using?

7. Serve a Delicious Meal with Less Meat

Not often you get to decide what 100+ people are going to have for dinner. We know that meat is one of the key sources of waste and CO2 emissions, so cutting down on the meat everyone eats can do a ton of good!

If you want to go big and bold, do a meatless wedding (just give them pasta- no one complains about pasta). If that feels too out there, consider having fewer meat options and more vegetarian ones. Make all of your appetizers meat-free. Cut out meat where you can for HUGE impact.

8. Give Eco-Friendly Gifts and Favors

This one can be so fun and easy! Skip out on the plastic box full of mints and give your guests an Eco-Friendly Favor instead. Check out your options- you will be surprised how much there is out there!

In the same way, you want to get your wedding party gifts to show them how thankful you are for their time and help in this big day. There are tons of Green Wedding Party Gifts you could give, including experiences instead of yet another physical thing (and seriously, skip the stuff that says bridesmaid on it. Who needs that?)

Basically, if you are giving a gift, focus on thoughtfulness and you can come up with something amazing that is still good for the Earth!

9. Be Plastic-Free, Find Compostable Options Instead

Even if you aren't doing a fancy event, you can still do tons of good by choosing recycled napkins and compostable forks and knives. An easy way to think about it is to avoid plastic. When in doubt, you don't want plastic to have any part in your day- it never looks good and it is terrible for the Earth.

Be sure to read this list of greener options for any of the party supplies you are going to buy in the course of celebrating.

10. Just Think Smaller

Every message we receive about our wedding (and honestly, our life) is that it needs to be bigger, grander, and more sparkly to be good. But feel confident that your life and your day will be amazing. Instead of trying to go bigger, think smaller. Keep that guest list as small as you can (I know, impossible). Have a few bridesmaids, not a gaggle. You will save money and minimize drama.

It can be near impossible to not get caught up in the beautiful images we see of weddings to not want something epic, but if you don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend, attempts to create the look of luxury can come off as cheap (and is incredibly frustrating). Instead, think about what is actually true to you as a couple. What do you think a good party is? What do you think is a fun time? Do your best version of that, and go way less crazy.

You can skip anything that doesn't mean a damn thing to you. Don't waste money on a garter if you think it would be annoying to wear. Don't throw the bouquet if you don't want to shill out money for yet another bunch of flowers just to throw. Use your cake as centerpieces. Just do what you think is great, and skip the rest.

On the other side of my 20's, I have been to a hell of a lot of weddings, and they start to blend. What we remember is the ways this wedding did something different. Or we remember the amazing and hilarious thing that happened. I love this stuff, and I still couldn't tell you much about a lot of the details at the weddings we have been to. Leading up to it, it can feel like every decision is more expensive than expected, or is a huge compromise. When you don't care, just don't do it.


Good luck planning! You can have an amazing wedding in a style that fits you as a couple while still taking care of your future and the Earth!




Want an environmentally responsible registry? Be sure to read The Eco- Friendly Wedding Registry. Want more Green Wedding goodness? We have SO MANY ideas here of how to make your special day kinder to the environment and that much more original. Check out the Green Wedding Page for more ideas.

You are getting married! Congratulations! As you are embarking on your new future together, you may be noticing that a lot of the talk about the future is extremely grim- plastic is choking our oceans, fossil fuels are warming our planet, Scott Pruitt is building more soundproof phone booths. It might be tempting to just block all of this noise out, because you want to be happy! This is a happy time!

I agree, it is! And what makes it even happier is that you have power to help your future with how you handle your wedding. The planet is in trouble, and you as a couple have a bunch of power to help, from skipping plastic silverware to completely greening your registry.

All of this might sound like a lot of work, but I am here to help. Check the blog, I have tons of ideas, and I even did your whole registry for you.

If you want to add some green elements to your wedding registry, these are the most green options you can quickly add to make a huge difference in your life and on the planet. Check them out (and add them on).

Links may be affiliate links to Etsy or Amazon. I highly recommend you don't buy things from Amazon when you can help it, but try to put your money into local businesses instead. No seriously. 

Let's do this!

1. A Honeyfund

Yes, your grandma will absolutely hate it. But you will be just as married.

The absolute greenest thing you can do with your registry is STOP once you have picked the things you need. Don't get more filler you don't want. If what you really need is nothing, why not be honest and ask for help with the honeymoon instead?

I have been with my husband for 15 years, and it isn't because of any possessions. Everything good about our marriage comes from years of jokes, shared experiences, adventures, and memories. If your guests can help you invest in that collection instead of a collection of silverware, that seems like a beautiful way to start a marriage. Register for what you need, of course, but just stop once that need is met and ask your guests to invest in a huge memory instead.

So this is my best, biggest piece of advice. Don't register for stuff just to do it. Once you have what you need, be done.

2. Cloth Napkins

Old fashioned? Yes. Fancypants? Not so much. Of course you can get ones for when company comes over, but the real trick is to have a collection you use for all those everyday meals you are going to enjoy just you. If you are married for 50 years and eat in 300 days a year, the two of you will use 30,000 paper napkins in the course of your marriage. Just the two of you.

Instead, 4-8 cloth napkins you get now could last you a decade (and then graduate to cleaning rags). Such a simple addition that can do so much good! Pick ones that are 100% cotton, avoid synthetic fibers, and you can't go wrong.

My favorites are from Clear Sky Home and Oh Little Rabbit. A new favorite might be Cute Bright Things. From Amazon, Cotton Craft sells simple cotton napkins that could perfectly get you started.

3. Dryer Balls

Dryer Sheets are another one time use item that is basically instant garbage. They are also often covered in chemicals (read the box), and those chemicals (some potential carcinogens) get all over your clothes and you. It comes at a high environmental price, so get dryer balls instead, because they will last a thousand trips to the dryer and save so much waste. One of the easiest switches we made, and it would be a perfect low cost item for a registry.

(Yes, hang drying is so much more eco-friendly than using the dryer. I get that it doesn't always make sense for life, but if you can get away with some hang-drying, DO IT! Need a cord? Try Great White, Xcords, or use American-made Paracord.)

You can find these dryer balls all over the place. Here are a few of my favorites- A Little Green Bee, Wonderful Wool Balls , Ovella, and LooHoo.

4. Salt and Pepper Shakers

I grew up with those little McCormick plastic bottles, but you can go through a LOT of those in a marriage. I mean, if you have a salty palette, that will add up fast!

Instead, register for a salt and pepper grinder (and buy your salt and pepper in bulk). It will cut out some plastic waste and just sets another little green habit. We use Fletchers' Mill grinders, which come in lots of designs and materials, and are made right here in the US. You can also try William Bounds and Chef Specialties.

5. A Water Pitcher or Filter

Don't be that couple with a huge pack of disposable water bottles. Just. Stop. We know for a fact that a lot of those bottles are just filled with tapwater, and they are creating so much plastic waste all over the world. Buy yourselves reusable bottles you love (we are all about ,Lifefactory, Liberty Bottleworks and even this Nalgene) and register for a water pitcher.

People probably don't often register for a Brita pitcher, but it is actually a great choice for the environment. Even better? More eco-concious choices come on the scene every year. My favorite is the SOMA pitcher because it is made of glass with a plant-based filter. And in the US! No, you may not have heard of it before, but I promise it is worth it. Other options? Aquagear and a Maeva pitcher.
You could also go with a water filtration system for your space. Check out the  APEC system or an iSpring system.

6. Soap Dishes

Millenials tend to dislike bar soap, but we shouldn't. They can cut down on massive plastic waste, save us money, and there are about a million great options for it. You can start with these-  Dr. Bronner's, Burt's Bee's, Cetaphil,  Badger Organic Bar Soap, L'Occitane Shea Butter Extra Gentle Soap, Paul Mitchell Body Bar, Aveda Rosemary Bath Bar, LUSH soaps but check Etsy and what is local too!

So, if you want to register for soap dishes or trays, it's a great way to keep down this path (though you can often find soap dishes in thrift stores super cheap as well). Check these from BellaTerraCeramics, TheBubbleBakerySoaps, MeganLouiseCeramics, and  Aspen Kay,

7. Gardening Tools

Plan for a marriage that just keeps growing. Yeah, metaphorically speaking. But also, grow stuff.

Want to appreciate your food more? Grow some of it. Want to build a life together? Start with things you nurture, not things you purchase.

You may not have the space for an all out veggie garden. That's fine! Register for planters and keep plants in your space. It is well proven that plants in indoor spaces increases happiness and prevents depression. Perfect- the more happy in your marriage, the better! You could also grow herbs in your kitchen together, because the more basil in your marriage, the better!

Other gardening tools you could add to your registry? Shovels, Trowels, or even buckets (though they are SO easy to find free- ours is a fondant bucket from a bakery).

8. Unsponges, Dish Rags, and Dish Sponges

Those Scotch Brite sponges we all use create a lot of waste, especially when you consider you are supposed to throw them out pretty often to avoid the growth of bacteria. Instead, we use unsponges, which we run through the washer and dryer and they can last so much longer. These small items could be perfect for the lower pricepoints, and they will last. Definitely longer than a regular sponge, hopefully shorter than your marriage.

So many options here, including dish rag and dish sponges as well. I LOVE the unsponges from marley'smonsters, but etsy has tons of options so something will fit your dish-doing style: TheLittleWanderersCo, UpcycledCreationsCAD, and Huggable Earth.

You can also try Full Circle, Rubbits, scrubbers out of bamboo and loofah, Peachy Clean sillicon scrubber. Check Redecker and Full Circle as well.

9. Unpaper Towels

Paper towels have the same problem as so many other paper goods- your spills may not be totally worth cutting a tree down. An average American will use 700 pounds of paper goods (paper towels, napkins, tissues, etc) a year. You can cut so much of this out by just using reusable unpaper towels instead. We still have paper towels, but we use unpaper towels for 80-90% of the jobs.

Here are some good ones: Marley'sMonsters , fandcsewing, ThisJoyfulHomeetc, generationMe, TheEcotopia, and CreeksideKid. If you don't want snaps or fuss, these ones from Juniperseed would be perfect.

10. Compost Bin

The least romantic and most environmentally awesome registry item EVER. A banana in compost will break down in 9 days. It may never decompose in a trash bag filled with plastic. Think of how much extra waste there is in this world because our green waste isn't give the air it needs to become useful again. That feels tragic to me. Also, totally preventable.

Composting seems super complicated, but it is practically effortless once you establish it as a habit. You just need something to hold your green waste inside (we use this one from Natural Home) and a composter outside. Tons of options to check out for this, all of which are the height of sexiness and romance:

- Good Ideas' compost bin is 90+ post-industrial plastic.

- Yimby is based out of Canada and makes a spinny version out of recycled plastic.

- Forest City Models has a dual batch composter, so you can test different combinations at once.

- This Spinbin looks like the most fun (and space efficient).

- Mantis also sells a pretty wide variety of compost bins, so you can find one that fits your needs.

- Nature's Footprint sells shelf versions, but I can't recommend it, because I don't understand how they work (worms? Something with worms. I know it sounds gross, but if you have a yard, you already have worms too).

Are you feeling totally overwhelmed with the romance of marriage? I understand, it doesn't get much more Nora Roberts than a composter. That said, these simple additions to your registry are not only awesome tools for your home, but they help you protect the many, many years you have coming. That is pretty powerful stuff! Happy wedding and happy registering! 

Want an environmentally responsible registry? Be sure to read The Eco- Friendly Wedding Registry.

Want more Green Wedding goodness? We have SO MANY ideas here of how to make your special day kinder to the environment and that much more original. Check out the Green Wedding Page for more ideas.