Sarah Kraybill Burkhalter and Andrew Burkhalter, Seattle, WA, were featured in an article about green weddings in the July 21, 2007 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Both Sarah and Andrew work in the environmental field. Sarah works for Grist, an online magazine offering environmental news and commentary with a sense of humor, while Andrew is a program manager at ONE/Northwest, a not-for-profit consulting firm that helps environmental groups connect with people. Andrew is a graduate of Goshen College, Goshen, IN, and Sarah graduated from Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, WA. The couple attends Seattle Mennonite Church.Nice day for a green wedding
Declare your love for each other and the Earth
By KRISTIN DIZON P-I REPORTER
During their August 2006 wedding, Sarah Kraybill Burkhalter and Andrew Burkhalter planted a native evergreen tree. He wore a hemp shirt, both wore sandals, and they served locally grown, vegetarian cuisine to 180 guests, most of whom sat on blankets on the grass during the ceremony.
In lieu of gifts, the car-less couple, who bike, bus and walk to get around, asked guests to consider offsetting their carbon dioxide emissions to travel to the wedding near Leavenworth. The Burkhalters registered for eco-friendly housewares, such as bamboo towels. To decrease the environmental impact of mining, they had wedding bands made from recycled gold.
To read the complete article on green weddings, go to http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/lifestyle/324506_greenweddings21.html
Action Step: Plan your next special celebration with the earth in mind. Consider transportation, food choices, tableware, gifts or giveaways.