Green Green Green!!!

Yesterday I was having a conversation with the fine ladies from 5 Event Center and Laura Mullen an event coordinator at the Knot event we were invited to and they asked me what details go into being a “green” photographer? I told them that there are sooo many ways that a photographer can give the earth a little hug. You should probably look these ladies up, they were so sweet! Check them out at www.5eventcenter.com and www.lauramullenevents.com.

I need to update my website on a couple of things, but one of the most important things is that I am an eco-friendly business! I know its super trendy right now, and that’s pretty much why I never mentioned it before. I wanted to be an eco-friendly business just to be an eco-friendly business. However, I feel like its important for my clients to know!

One way I am green is that I print through an eco-friendly printing company. Many professional printing companies out there use harmful inks, paper that isn’t made from very renewable sources, and don’t take extra precautions to make them green. The company I use, not only has phenomenal prints, but really cares about what effect their business has on the environment.

For all my wedding packages you will get a dvd of high resolution images. I go through Loktah, whose statement in their logo is: “Rising from the Earth | Natural Media Products”, to make sure all the packaging of those dvd’s are as green as possible. I also do high res images for portrait shoots, feel free to ask for the pricing! Gosh, I’m so excited about these dvd cases and sleeves I want to keep them all for myself. I won’t, but I want to! Here are some photos of the order I got yesterday!

My albums that I use for weddings are the greenest and most unique out there! I just blogged about them in my last post. Wild Magnolia Designs really cares about taking care of the earth and making exquisite albums. I’m so totally obsessed with them! Here is their green statement: https://wildmagnoliadesign.com/green. I really could rave about them all day long, but if you want to know a little more check out my previous blog post!

Those are the 3 biggest ways that I have gone green. Smaller things I have done/am doing are:

I use rechargeable batteries.

I offer frames made out of recycled/reclaimed wood.

I buy products made locally whenever possible.

I use natural light as often as possible (in shooting, in my studio, and in my own home) I avoid turning on lights as much as possible. I also turn of anything that isn’t in use whenever possible, including my computer.

I use earth friendly cleaning products in my studio and in my home.

I am paperless, booking weddings, paying invoices, and signing contracts is done online.

I utilize online proofing galleries as opposed to the wasteful printed proof alternative.

Any necessary printing is done on recycled paper.

I recycle but I also reuse, I reuse cardboard boxes or donate them, I reuse packing supplies, etc. etc.

I recycle ink cartridges and dvds.

I do all my banking online.

I am working on becoming a member of www.greenerphotography.org.

I even take my bike when I can, my motorcycle when its too far to bike, and my car only when its too far for my little motorcycle.

I not only try to by local things in my business, I try to do it as much as possible in my home life as well, grass fed local cows and anything else I can think of.

I find it my responsibility to make my carbon footprint as small as possible in my business and in my home life. And not only is being eco-friendly great for the environment, BUT the products I use are super unique and fun!