With 2.2 million weddings in the US each year, you can truly make a difference by making just a few eco-friendly wedding choices like organic wedding favors.

Why Say “I do” to a Green Wedding?

• Save energy, conserve resources and decrease carbon emissions.
• Reduce your wedding’s carbon footprint. Click here to calculate your wedding carbon footprint.
• Limit waste produced by traditional weddings.
• Educate and inspire others to make greener choices.
• Champion green businesses.
• Support charitable organizations.

Winner Gets 40 Free Customized Wedding Favors that Grow When Planted!

• These adorable eco-wedding favors are hand-made from recycled paper and infused with seeds that grow wildflowers when planted—perfect for an eco-friendly wedding!
• Choose your wedding favor from six popular design choices and colors
• Personalization included
• Also great for bridal showers

How to Enter:

Just send an email to heather [@] dreamgreenweddings.com with “Contest Entry” in the subject line. Please provide your wedding date in the email and that’s it! You will be automatically entered to win 40 free wedding favors from our popular seeded wedding favor collection. Entries will be accepted until midnight of Earth Day, April 22, 2010. The winner will be selected by a random drawing on April 23, 2010 and notified via email.

Good luck to everyone!

Here are a few simple tips you can follow to “greenify” your Thanksgiving Day:

1. Choose local and organic ingredients when possible.
2. Use real place settings and cloth napkins instead of paper and plastic. If you must use disposable items, choose paper plates and cups instead of plastic.
3. Reduce, reuse and recycle.
4. Store leftovers in reusable bowls instead of aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
5. Celebrate at home. If you must travel, make sure your car is in good working order and your tires are properly inflated.

Now, go out and enjoy your earth friendly Thanksgiving day!

According to Wholesome Sweeteners, red velvet cake is a Southern tradition. Legend holds that it was originally made with grated red beets, which added a color and earthy undertones to the batter. These days, most bakers simply prefer to use red food coloring because they get to control the color.

They also provide a really simple recipe to make them with organic ingredients. How great is that? I would love to share it with all of you. Here goes… Hope you enjoy it!

Ruby Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) organic sweet cream butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Organic Sugar

2 cage-free eggs, room temperature

21/3 cups cake flour

2 tablespoons of Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

1 cup of organic buttermilk*

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of organic red food coloring (depending on how vivid you prefer your red)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

cream cheese frosting

fruit or chocolate morsels for topping

*You can make your own buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or distilled white vinegar to milk and letting it stand for about 10 minutes.

Directions :

Preheat the oven to 350∞F. Cream the sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl frequently throughout this recipe’s preparation.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until each is fully incorporated. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Resift twice, making sure that the dry ingredients are well mixed.

In another bowl whisk together the buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla extract.

Add 1/4 of the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat on low until just blended, then add a third of the buttermilk mix. Being careful not to overmix, add another 1/4 dry, then 1/3 wet, etc. You’ll end with the dry ingredients.

Drop cupcake papers into a cupcake tin, and fill each about 1/2 to 3/4 full with the batter. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 3-7 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool for just a minute or two in the pan, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with fresh berries (if available), dust with cocoa powder, or drop a big chocolate kiss on the top!

If you want to give them a creepy look, Martha Stewart suggests using these toppings:

• marshmallows
• licorice and jelly bean
• gummy ring
• taffy tape
• gumdrops and marshmallows
• marshmallows with licorice and mini chocolate chips
• jelly beans with melted chocolate
• marshmallows and candy-coated chocolates or melted chocolate
• marshmallows with candy-coated chocolate or gummy tape and licorice drops
• licorice with gumdrops or marshmallows

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes–depending on the size of the cupcakes, of course.

Visit Flickr for more images

Don’t forget to do something nice today for the environment! Even if it means ordering your wedding invitations at Jayda to get your FREE matching wedding blog. Enjoy your day!

So, c’mon have a romantic candlelight dinner with your partner tonight at 8:30pm local time. Make a statement!