And somehow, you managed to grow, and flourish, and find your soulmate.

Now, billions of years later, you will have a wedding on the Earth that sustained you and made that love possible.
You might owe it to Mother Earth to give eco-friendly weddings a shot.
If you’ve looked around recently, you might have noticed that the sixth global extinction event is currently in progress. As a result, cities that aren’t burning are flooding. And you, bride or groom, may one day bring children into this world.
We’re not asking you to go on a hunger strike. We’re simply suggesting that many weddings can be wasteful events, and there are so many tiny, easy ways to turn your big day into a thoughtful, sustainable event that does more good than harm.
If you’re intrigued, the following simple, sustainable wedding ideas can get you started. Read on to learn about how something as simple as eco-friendly wedding invitations can make a difference for life on Earth today. Rainforests, polar bears, and the future children of the world will thank you!

Start With Eco-Friendly Wedding Cards
You’re more than a year away from your paper anniversary. There’s no need to clear an entire forest so that each wedding guest can have a Bespoke paper wedding invitation. Eco-friendly and sustainable weddings begin with paying attention to the sustainability of the save the date cards!

Why Sustainable Paper?
Paper is made of trees, and trees are made of forests, and forests are disappearing from the planet at a scale that is hard to perceive unless you’re looking down on the earth from space. Each of those forests is home to diverse plant, insect, and animal species whose entire food webs will have to shift to accommodate the loss of a single one.
Some brides and grooms struggle with scale, and that’s okay. But, again, we can look at a single rainforest. How about the Philippine rainforest, which has been depleted by 90% since it was last at peak foliage?
The forest is home to an endemic species called the Philippine Eagle, which lives nowhere else on earth. There are, at last count, approximately 700 individuals left on the entire planet. 700 might be a lot of wedding guests (especially at $100 a plate — yeesh!), but that is not a lot of eagles — and once these guys are gone, they’re gone for good.
Why not “plant more trees,” you say? But, unfortunately, the average age of a rainforest tree is about 300 years old.
So let’s save an eagle, shall we? I’m going to call him Robert. What are a few things that thoughtful wedding planners can do to ensure that Robert gets to live his life, have his eagle wedding, and have some eagle babies?

Recycled Paper
Think about all of the paper in your local public library. Now think about all of the paper in all of the books in all of the public libraries in your county, your state. And that’s only books!
There is a lot of paper already out there, and so much of it is recyclable. At the most basic level, recycled paper is paper made out of other paper. You’re not the first couple to be getting married — think about what would happen if we recycled all of the paper invitations from all of the weddings that took place over the past year alone!
You can’t un-cut down a tree, but you can make that tree’s sacrifice matter by recycling that material rather than throwing it away. Maybe the tree you save is home to Robert’s nest?
Paper Culture uses 100% recycled paper for almost all of its invitations, prints, and cards. You don’t need to sacrifice quality or aesthetics. I promise, no one will be able to tell that the paper is recycled, except for the animals in the tree you saved!
Where else can you use recycled paper at your rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, or reception? How about place cards, information cards, menus, programs, table cards — the list goes on! And you can even eliminate some of these materials by listing the information on wedding websites.

Bamboo Products
Another material that Paper Culture uses as part of its sustainable line of cards and products is bamboo. Unlike Robert’s 300-year-old tree, the bamboo plant grows at a rapid rate. This hearty plant is full-grown and ready to go in as few as five short years.
And bamboo’s favorite thing to do is grow! It can grow in conditions that other plant life would find oppressive. There is no shortage of bamboo in the world’s rainforests, so it’s an excellent, sustainable resource.
Every time you choose a bamboo product over a paper product (unless, of course, the paper is 100% recycled), a much older, life-sustaining tree gets to keep on growing.

If You Have A Choice, Choose Sustainable!
When you choose invitations and other paper products from Paper Culture, you’re not only saving trees like Robert’s — you’re helping to plant more so that trees will be ready to house his grandchildren, and their grandchildren, and their grandchildren!
That is because Paper Culture is committed to planting a tree in a vulnerable area (like Robert’s rainforest!) for every single order that you place. To date, that’s a million brand new trees and counting!
If you’ve heard enough about Robert, you might be wondering how you can do more to help people closer to home. Can making other sustainable wedding choices actually make your own life better?

Vendors Who Give Back
If you’ve gotten this far, you already know that weddings are an investment. For the highest quality event, you want to seek vendors that are professional and do great work. What if your investment in your wedding could also be an investment in the planet?
From photographers to florists, many vendors give back. They’ll take a percentage of what you pay them and donate it to charities or community organizations. That might mean that your wedding also supports a community pantry, garden co-op, or recycling initiative.
The people who do the most to contribute to climate change are those who are least affected by it. So by using vendors who give back, you could be helping vulnerable populations thrive. It’s a small but significant way to make a big difference.

Make An Ethical Investment
You need to buy a lot of swag for your wedding day. From favors to gifts for the bridal party, there are choices to be made about the companies that you support. Do you want to go the least expensive route or make an investment in products that are created with ethical standards in mind?
This can be as simple as choosing ethical, fair trade chocolate products. Cocoa starts its life as a tree, and the chocolate industry is destroying many of the forests in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Most fair trade companies pay premiums to support local communities, including the funding of sustainable growth practices.
By investing in ethical brands, you can rest assured that your money will support community initiatives in vulnerable communities. These products tend to be high quality as a bonus, so you will get a lot more than you pay for!

Keep Gifts Out of Landfills
Putting together a wedding registry can be a blast. It’s like planning your dream home without any financial investment! Unfortunately, the truth is, many of the gifts you receive as a newlywed are not gifts you’ll actually use, and they’ll end up taking up space or getting thrown out.
Instead of gifts, why not ask for donations to a charity of your choice? That way, your guests can help support a worthy cause while eliminating some of the emissions involved in shipping, packaging, and wrapping.
Everyone has a passion, and choosing a cause can be a wonderful way to get to know more about yourself as a couple. Are you climate warriors, educational advocates, or human rights heroes? Why not make giving the first thing you do as a married couple?

Paper Culture Makes Eco-Friendly Weddings Beautiful
We’re not suggesting that you throw a tree-themed wedding or use photos of extinct species as your table markers. We’re simply asking you to slow down and consider the planet when making choices. Even the basic choice to use recycled paper for your invitations can have huge, long-term effects on the health of the world and your family!
Eco-friendly weddings today will ensure many more weddings in the future. Plus, our buddy Robert will definitely appreciate it!
All of Paper Culture’s projects use sustainable materials intended to help the earth’s forests thrive. Browse our wedding collection to see just how beautiful a sustainable wedding invitation can be! We can’t wait to plant your tree!

For additional ideas, download our free Sustainable Wedding Guide.

Go Green on Your Big Day: The Ultimate Steps to Eco-Friendly Weddings was originally published in be modern. be eco. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

COVID-19 has left a lasting impact on what is supposed to be one of the most exciting and joyful times in a couple’s life.

At Paper Culture, we are heartbroken for all of you who’ve had to postpone, cancel, or otherwise delay your ceremonies due to these unforeseen circumstances. Please contact us and we can work with you to help ease the stress by troubleshooting and helping you send wedding postponement cards, change of date cards, cancellation cards, or wedding invitations with the new wedding date.

Below are some tips and tricks to help you move forward with the wedding stationery process so once you have the date, you have everything you need to order quickly:

1. Finalize your guest list

We recommend getting all your contacts in a spreadsheet and going through to make sure you have all the spelling and titles correct. This will help determine the number of cards needed and also enable you to take advantage of services such as Paper Culture’s free recipient address printing where you upload your contacts and we will print them on your envelopes.

2. Narrow your choices for your wedding invite

Most engaged couples will determine a theme and style for their wedding and try to match their wedding stationery to that theme and style setting the stage for the event. If you are getting married outside on a farm, you may want to look at rustic wedding invitations and customize the colors to match the venue or the bridesmaids gowns. With Paper Culture’s free designer assistance, you can request custom edits such as changes to layout, colors, and fonts before you even purchase. We can also help with wedding etiquette along the way. We recommend getting it all finalized and then once you have the date, you can update and order away. Shop Wedding Invitations.

For the complete list of tips, and more details to ensure you are as prepared as possible, please visit paperculture.com

Still unsure where to start? Contact our wedding consultants for next steps!

Wedding Invitation Tips during COVID-19 was originally published in be modern. be eco. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We are obsessed with trees and paper at Paper Culture. That’s why the company was founded with the mission to design beautiful products inside and out using eco-friendly materials. All of our cards are made from 100% consumer recycled paper so no trees are harmed. We use bamboo for wall art as it’s one of the fastest growing renewable resources and 100% recycled fabric for our wall decals. In addition, we send your order in a #ReversibleBox which contains tree seeds for you to plant your own trees. We extend this ethos to our corporate office choosing earth friendly cleaning and paper products and energy efficient appliances.

This Earth Day and every day we celebrate trees, the unsung heroes. Trees provide protection, economic empowerment, food, stability, clean air, medicine, fuel, and so many other things we need and use daily. And of course, they are beautiful and peaceful. More than ever, reforestation is needed around the globe.

Paper Culture has planted over 350,000 trees to date in areas where reforestation is needed the most. The New York Times article, Restored Forests Breathe Life Into Efforts Against Climate Change noted that “Over time, humans have cut down or damaged at least three-quarters of the world’s forests, and that destruction has accounted for much of the excess carbon that is warming the planet.” Photo credits include Sean Conroe for the Wangari Maathai photo and Trees for the Future for the bottom photo shown.

- Paper Culture

An Earth Day story that makes us sad was originally published in be modern. be eco. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Two dogs and a Toddler

Just Another Day

LL Cool J’s

When the Circus Came to Town

Pure Bliss

Say Peace

We hope you enjoyed this year’s selections! We certainly did. As always, we offer free design assistance even before you purchase so don’t be shy about taking us up on that. All of our cards are made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper so no trees are cut down. In addition, we plant a tree with every order with over 300,000 trees planted to date. We like to say our cards are pretty inside and out.

Will yours be on our next year’s list?

The Most Creative Holiday Cards You’ve Seen was originally published in be modern. be eco. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We celebrated Earth Day at the City Hall of Millbrae where Paper Culture received a Commendation from the city for being a CoolCalifornia.org Climate Leader Winner. Can you guess what the Paper Culture team did on Arbor Day? We partnered with Spring Valley Elementary School in Millbrae to plant some trees and do a talk with the 4th grade students. These students were so inspiring and engaged from the questions they asked to seeing their impressive school garden.

Of course, we couldn’t plant trees without the appropriate attire. We always say, ordering with Paper Culture is as easy as One, Two, Tree since every order plants a tree.

The entire week had been sunny in the Bay Area and on the day of Arbor Day it was pouring rain. We decided we were not going to let this stop us. By the time we arrived at the school, the storm had passed and the rain made it easier to dig. We dug the holes, prepped the trees and then were ready for the students to help us fill in the holes. They were so excited to be a part of the process.

We were lucky enough to have time with all the 4th grade students. First our CEO chatted with the kids about being a sustainable company and the importance of being eco-friendly, trees and reforestation. After the talk, our Co-founder and Head of Design taught the students how to make origami trees out of recycled paper. It was a hit and the kids loved the forests they made.

The day was so special for all of the Paper Culture team members. We owe a very special thanks to Joel Wheeler who is one of the 4th Grade Teachers who helped put this together.

Also, a quick review of the history of these two holidays.

Earth Day — The first Earth Day was on Apri. 22, 1970 in America to draw attention and promote the environmental movement. Since then it has activated more than 1 billion people to get involved in Earth Day activities. The Earth Day Network was created as a result to continue the promotion of the movement around the world.

Arbor Day — It was started by a pioneer in Nebraska named J. Sterling Morton. He and his fellow pioneers missed their trees along with needing them to keep soil in place and provide shade. On January 4, 1872 Morton first proposed a tree planting holiday called ‘Arbor Day’ to be celebrated on April 10, 1872. It was estimated more than 1 million trees had been planted. It eventually was named a legal holiday in Nebraska 1885 and other states adopted the holiday. Today the most common date for the state observance is the last Friday in April but some states observe it with the best tree planting weather. See full history at the Arbor Day Foundation.

How did you celebrate?

Celebrating Earth Day & Arbor Day was originally published in be modern. be eco. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The arrival of your bundle of joy is certainly a wonderful way to celebrate and bring in the New Year and taking and sending newborn photos is part of the fun! If you want to take some precious snapshots of your little one, we have a few tips and tricks to ensure that your baby’s earliest days are captured perfectly. (Note: you will have best results with a point-and-shoot or DSLR, but these tips will help you take great shots even with a camera phone!)

1.) The best time to do a newborn photo shoot is within two weeks of their birth. At this point, your baby will be able to spend most of the shoot in a deep sleep, so he/she will be much easier to pose and photograph. Feed baby just before the shoot, have some white noise playing in the background…do whatever you normally do to help him sleep!

2.) Make sure baby is warm, as this will keep the baby comfortable! Have a heater in the room, pointed away from your little one. Swaddle the baby in between shots (just be sure to take a few photos of the baby wrapped up nice and cozy). Warm up your hands before using them to position the baby so that he/she won’t be startled.

3.) Shoot near a window, with good natural lighting. Don’t put your baby directly in the light though; this will result in unflattering shadows being cast, or a harsh tone overall.

4.) Keep backgrounds simple. White walls, blankets with no quilting or print. You want your baby to be the main focus. If you want to use some props, go for it, but be sure to get a good number of shots that focus solely on your baby!

5.) Get down to baby’s level. Lay the baby down on a bed or low table and kneel down beside it. This will result in tighter shots that bring the viewer closer to your newborn.

6.) Is your baby sleeping? If you have a DSLR and a macro lens, now is the time to bring it out! Babies have the most precious little features: the tiniest hands and feet, chubby cheeks, rosy little lips. Focusing on these teeny details can give you adorable yet unique photos that capture all the things you love about your little one. Since macro lenses are sensitive by nature, it’s best to take these photos while your baby is in a deep sleep.

7.) If your little one isn’t the least bit sleepy, just go with it! Capturing your baby’s yawns, stretches, and wiggles can also make for beautiful photos.

8.) Relax! Babies can sense any frustration in a room, and this will make them uncomfortable and fussy. If you’re not getting the shots you want, you can try another time, or just roll with her current mood and see what kinds of photos you get out of it. If possible, only shoot with yourself and the baby in the room, so as to avoid any distractions and help both of you relax a bit more.

9.) Remember that the most beautiful newborn photographs are the ones that truly capture your newborn’s mood and personality. Don’t get caught up in imitating cute photos you’ve already seen.

10.) Enjoy yourself! Your baby won’t be this tiny for much longer. Savor the moment and have fun memorializing your newborn’s early days.

Once you’ve done your photo shoot and selected a few of your favorite images, why not use them in your birth announcements? With clean modern design and sweet typography, Paper Culture’s birth announcements are perfect for showcasing your beautiful newborn photographs.

Hopefully we’ve inspired you to pick up your camera and click away!

Did you do a newborn photoshoot? What are your favorite tips for capturing baby snapshots?

Tips for Great Newborn Photos was originally published in be modern. be eco. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Memory Game

The gift will be a hit with both kids and adults. You have many different front card choices and colors including modern patterns, whales, flowers and many more. Simply select your front and upload 16 unique photos and you’ll have your personalized memory game. So much more fun and personalized then using a deck of cards, don’t you think?

Personalized Ornaments

Nothing personalizes a tree more than photos of your family and friends. It’s a great way to capture memories from the past years and relive them during the holiday season. Surprise someone special with their own set of 12 ornaments. Start a new tradition and update the photo coasters each year.

Personalized Coasters

These personalized coasters are a fun hostess gift. You can select from several different front designs and then upload up to 12 unique photos. They are also a great addition to any event from bridal showers to weddings.

Stationery

If you want to give a personalized gift without photos, stationery is a great option. Having nice thank you and note cards on hand is always greatly appreciated. Browse designs for corporate gifts, teachers and personal stationery for adults as well as kids.

Wall Decals

Choose from a number of wall decals featuring designs for kids and adults. You’ll find an option for everyone from different designs, colors and number of photos. These custom wall decals will brighten up any space and are removable and repositionable. Unlike most wall decals, these do not contain phthalates or PVC’s but made with eco-friendly fabric.

Bamboo Wall Art

If you are looking for a really unique gift for the wall, our bamboo wall art is for you. Made of bamboo, one of the fastest growing plants in the world, is not only stunning but is very durable and will display your photo beautifully. You can upload your own design or choose from one photo or multiple photo layouts.

Let us know what you chose.

Happy Holidays!

Personalized Gifts That Will Make Them Smile was originally published in be modern. be eco. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

As many of you know, part of Paper Culture’s environmental commitment is that we plant a tree for every order and every new Facebook fan. In fact, we’ve pledged to plant 1,000,000 trees. We try to respond to each question individually, but we thought we’d try to consolidate some of our answers in a blog post for posterity.

Question: Do you REALLY plant a tree for every order and Facebook fan?
Answer: Yes we do. And for us, while it’s something our customers love to talk about, we view it as only one small part of our commitment to give back to the environment.

Question: OK, so what’s the catch. Are you just dropping 1,000 seeds in the ground and calling that tree planting?
Answer: Gosh no. Each tree that is planted is a seedling that has been grown in a nursery. A tree is only considered planted when one of those seedlings gets planted in the ground successfully. This is true of both trees planted in the United States and those planted internationally. On average, over 90% of those seedlings turn into trees — we wish it were 100%, but alas, Mother Nature has a mind of her own.

Question: Where are the trees planted?
Answer: As individuals, unfortunately, we don’t have access to many of the areas that reforestation is most needed. So, we partner with organizations such as the Arbor Day Foundation who has access to both state and national forests (http://www.arborday.org/pa​rtnerships/partners.cfm). We also partner with an increasing number of international organizations to plant trees in national forests throughout the world.

Question: Why do you plant trees?
Answer: For soooooo many reasons — this could be a whole post. In fact, we will certainly do that in the future, but here’s a few high level reasons. First, our core products are paper products. While we cut down no new trees for those products because they use 100% post consumer recycled paper, we realize that at some point that paper comes from trees. And thus, our business is really about trees. Second, we love the environment and as founders of the company, we wanted to build a company that gave back. Third, trees do so much more than just provide paper from providing oxygen for the environment, to being a habitat for species, to dramatically reducing erosion — we think trees are pretty darn cool (and not just for the comfy shade that they bring). In fact, check out dozens of other cool things that trees on our Cards to Trees page.

Question: Can you provide a specific example of what you are doing to plant trees?
Answer: We’d be happy to. One of the most recent initiatives was in the Pere Maquette State Forest that can be found in the northwest part of Michigan, close to Lake Superior and the Manistee National Forest. The Pere Marquette State Forest is a beautiful landscape of oak and pine trees and is home to activities such as camping, hiking, biking, fishing, and wildlife viewing.

Through our partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, half a million Jack pines were replanted to improve habitat for diverse wildlife and to restore the forest ecosystem.

As part of this project, an endangered species, the endangered Kirtland warbler, has been brought back from the brink of extinction. The Kirtland warbler is a neotropical migratory songbird that are only found in the peninsula’s around Michigan. As a result of the replanting efforts, the number of singing males has increased from less than 200 to more than 1,300 — literally turning the tide on an almost extinct species.

While every story is special to us, we feel fortunate to being a part of similar stories throughout the United States and the world as part of our goal to plant 1,000,000 trees.

Planting Trees: How it Works was originally published in be modern. be eco. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

To get started, check out our Thanksgiving invitations. We have several different options available for you to customize and match to your dream holiday gathering. We can even address and mail them out for you!

Once your invitations have hit the printing press, you can move on to planning your decorations. I am always inspired by fall’s brilliant and rich colors. Autumn leaves and gourds make for eye-catching yet simple décor.

Left: For a beautiful table runner, get inspired by this beautiful photograph from Better Homes and Gardens. Find a few small pumpkins from the local pumpkin patch, line them up down the center of your table, and weave a matching ribbon around them. You can even add branches, greenery, or a garland for an extra burst of color! Top right: I love these place cards from Martha Stewart. The leaves are perfect for any autumn tablescape, and the chalkboard look is very in right now! Best of all, they’re incredibly easy to make. Bottom right: Set the mood for a warm dinner with your loved ones with these painted glass votive candle holders, also from Martha Stewart. This would be a fun DIY project (the link will give you simple instructions,) but if you’re pressed for time (or aren’t feeling very artsy,) go ahead and purchase some glass votives in your favorite fall colors.

Planning and preparing dinner may be the most anxiety-inducing part of the holiday! However, if you schedule carefully, and do everything that you can ahead of time, it’s a lot easier to bring the meal together. Food Network has a great Thanksgiving planning guide to help you out. If you plan things just right, you’ll spend less of Thanksgiving in the kitchen, and more of it mingling with your loved ones!

Here’s a few favorite recipes to add to your holiday menu!

Top left: A juicy and flavorful roasted turkey (and brine,) courtesy of The Pioneer Woman. She even includes step-by-step photos and instructions! Bottom left: My favorite tip for the perfect mashed potatoes: use a potato ricer! It’s difficult to smooth out all the lumps out with a fork or potato masher, and using a hand mixer can result in a gluey texture. A potato ricer delivers smooth, creamy, fluffy results, and it’s much faster than a regular potato masher! Try Simply Recipes’ garlic mashed potatoes for a delicious yet simple take on this traditional side dish. (Another tip: throw the roasted garlic in with the potatoes into the ricer to avoid large garlic pieces.) Top right: For dessert to feed a crowd, Smitten Kitchen takes her go-to apple pie recipe (my personal favorite) and turns it into an entire sheet of pie! (Tip: apple pie is always best the day it’s made, but if you premake the crust the night before and refrigerate it, all you have to do the day of is roll it out, fill, and bake!) Bottom right: Finally, for a boozy treat, How Sweet Eats’ apple cider sangria is a fun autumnal take on a classic party drink.

Hopefully we have given you some inspiration, tricks, and tips to make your holiday memorable and stress-free! Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving recipe or decorations idea?

Hassle-Free Tips for Thanksgiving was originally published in be modern. be eco. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Here are our top 4 favorites from 2012, in no particular order. Will you be on our 2013 favorites list?

Taking Swaddling to a New Level

When Hairy Met Sally

Life is a Beach

A Joyful Family

A big thanks to all of our customers for entrusting their holiday cards with Paper Culture! If you haven’t done so already, we encourage you to check out our new 2013 holiday designs including Jumbo Holiday Cards. The larger card format is 8.9" x 3.9" and like all of our cards, is made with 100% post-consumer recycled paper. You’ll find both photo and non-photo options with backs that will wow your family and friends just as much as the front. Be sure to taking advantage of our 20% off holiday cards this week as well as our ongoing FREE Mail-and-Address Service. Let us do the work. We will stamp, address and mail your cards for free. You only pay the cost of the stamp.

Happy Holidays!

Creative Holiday Cards You Wish You Made was originally published in be modern. be eco. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.