This year marks the second anniversary for Wedding Day Hooray, boasting over 40 vendors at the upcoming event. Not only will the vendors have the opportunity to showcase their creations, but the popular Table Decor Competition gives businesses a chance to show brides how to make their table setting pop for their special day.

“We’re looking to make this year’s Wedding Day Hooray bigger and better than the last,” said Christy Petterson, co-founder of Indie Craft Experience. “We love giving brides an alternative to big bridal expos.” Shannon Mulkey, co-founder of the Indie Craft Experience, echoes this same sentiment. “We can’t wait to make these brides’ day the most special!”

Wedding Day Hooray will feature gift bags for the first 100 attendees, a wedding goodie raffle and even a chance to win a honeymoon stay at the Artmore Hotel. A portion of the raffle proceeds will be donated to Burnaway- an online magazine for the arts. Sponsorship opportunities are available, with some that are free to participate. Visit www.weddingdayhooray.virb.com for info.

Green carpet arrivals include Media Mogul, Ted Turner, 26-time Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Alison Krauss, Gala Co-Chairs Laura Turner Seydel and Elizabeth DuPree Lynch and Captain Planet Foundation Interim Executive Director Christina Stevens. Presenting sponsors include: Turner Foundation, Cartoon Network, Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Power, JST Foundation, Pratt 100% Recycled and Xfinity.

Host Committee co-chairs include: Derek Jacoby, Ira Blumenthal, Beth Kytle, and Lewis Perkins. and their committee members include: Ginair & George McKerrow, Dr. Randy Rudderman & Jennifer Jiunta, Angela & Rhett Turner, Jennie & Peek Garlington, and Beau Turner. Patron Committee co-chairs are Barbara Pyle and Joanne Chesler Gross. The event auction chair is Phaedra Parks from The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Guests will mingle with high-profile celebrities and civic leaders, enjoy a musical performance from 26-time Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Alison Krauss, bid on live and silent auction items featuring one-of-a-kind trips and eco-luxury experiences, enjoy premium cocktails, and dinner by Wolfgang Puck. The event will also feature Captain Planet’s “Superhero for Earth Awards” given to individuals who help inform the public about eco education, sustainability and being responsible stewards of the environment. Dr. Sylvia Earle, dubbed “the Sturgeon General” for her world-renowned oceanography work will be in attendance to receive the CPF Exemplar Award.

For more than 20 years, the Captain Planet Foundation has brought together public agencies, non-profit organizations, corporations, and foundations to help youth develop into environmental stewards – active individuals who participate, nationally and internationally, in projects that benefit their health, schools and communities.

For more information and to purchase tickets,  visit www.thepowerisyours.org.

By Collin Kelley

Building a new house can be stressful, so imagine documenting all the problems, weather delays and permitting issues in a blog for the world to see and read.

Architects Jose E. Tavel and Cara B. Cummins, who own TaC Studios, are doing just that as they build an environmentally friendly home in the Old 4^th Ward. They started the blog, LEED 4  Ward (leed4ward.com), before building even began.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green building certification system that measures energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality and more. Tavel and Cummins are going for platinum status, the highest and most difficult designation to attain.

In early July, Alaska Avenue echoed with the sound of drilling machines boring the home’s geothermal wells. The machines drill 200 to 250 feet down hitting water and granite along the way. Using the Earth’s natural heating, the homeowners hope to cut a projected $350 per month energy bill to about $40.

The house was wrapped in Zip panels, an environmentally friendly building material that waterproofs and insulates, and comes factory-read for quick installation. High performance windows, foam insulation, Energy Star rated fixtures and appliances will also go toward meeting LEED standards. The house will be clad in metal panels that are not only stylish, but will never need painting.

Tavel and Cummins have designed green homes and buildings for their clients, but building one themselves offered an opportunity to document the process so others can see what building a LEED certified home entails.

The couple decided to build the house after selling their home around the corner to a client who fell in love with the modern design.

“Our client wanted something similar to our home and after he offered to buy it, we decided to go for it,” Cummins said. “We had purchased the other lot and decided it was a great opportunity to build a new home and studio.”

The lot is located along the BeltLine and a short walk from Highland Avenue and all its shops and restaurants. “We love the Old 4^th Ward, so we definitely wanted to stay in the neighborhood,” Cummins said.

Just as construction was getting under way in January, the massive snow and ice storm hit Atlanta. The run of unpredictable weather meant the loss of 23 days in the building process by March. Spring and summer storms had Taval and Cummins keeping fingers crossed that trees wouldn’t damage the under-construction home.

Even while the house is still under construction, its clear the house was designed with light in mind. Walls of windows provide startling amounts of natural light and seamlessly connect the outdoor living spaces. The upstairs studio suite will feature a large workspace, storage and conference room. The studio will be sectioned off from the bedrooms with pocket doors. There’s also a rooftop deck with impressive views of the neighborhood.

The house should be finished in September and will certainly be a gem for the neighborhood. With its hidden gardens, Koi pond, lap pool, porches and welcoming front façade, Taval and Cummins are looking forward to living and working in the house.

By Laura Turner Seydel

Information is power, so it is important to build your knowledge base with all the facts possible to best protect your health, your family and the environment around you. Empower yourself to become an advocate for change with these three powerful documentaries.

Vanishing of the Bees

Hailed by one film critic as “the most important documentary since an Inconvenient Truth,” this documentary takes an in depth look at our rapidly declining bee population. Did you know that the honeybee is responsible for 1 out of every 3 bites of food on your dinner plate? Honeybees are essential to our food supply, pollinating over 80% of our flowering crops (worth about $15 billion), including apples, broccoli and alfalfa, which is an important dietary staple for cattle.

Our disappearing honeybee is an indicator of environmentally quality, so when they are dying it means something is wrong. Vanishing of the Bees dives into issues surrounding Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), discusses the role pesticides play in the bee decline, examines the EPA’s involvement, and presents ways to help combat the problem.

One of the many solutions to protect our honeybee is to reduce our dependence on pesticides used on our lawns and in our agriculture processes.  Systemic pesticides, those which are incorporated into the soil and travel up into the stem, leaves nectar and pollen of plants, are one explanation for CCD and the sudden die off a hive’s adult bee population. While little testing is required by the EPA here in the United States to determine a product’s “safety” in the market, several pesticides have been banned throughout Europe. This banning has allowed bee populations to return and flourish once again in those regions. www.vanishingofthebees.com

Forks Over Knives

An estimated 6,700 Georgians die each year (10% of all deaths) as a result of obesity related health issues like heart disease and type 2 Diabetes. Across the United States, we are spending $75-$100 billion a year to fight these weight-related issues. “Forks Over Knives” examines the theory that these diseases can be reversed – and even eliminated – by eating a reduced diet of meat and dairy.

The film follows two top doctors and researchers across the globe as they examine the theory that a healthy and balanced life can be achieved through a comprehensive diet of fruits, veggies and alternative protein sources. www.forksoverknives.com

Bag It

Asking the question “is your life too plastic,” “Bag It” explores America’s dependence on single-use plastic and documents its pressures on our planet. Designed to be disposable, plastic actually never really goes away; it clogs storm drains, accumulates in our rivers and streams, and worst of all makes it into our oceans.

The filmmakers make a compelling case against single-use plastic, like grocery bags and straws, and inspire us to make plastic alternative changes in our own lives. From lips to the landfill, did you know that in the United States we throw away 500 million plastic straws each day? The impact of these disposable plastics has placed a burden on our oceans and has taken form in five enormous garbage patches. Twice the size of United States, the Great Northern Pacific Garbage Patch is just one of the five floating islands of plastic whose existence threatens the ecosystem and marine life. The plastic concentration in these gyres overwhelms the food supply, causing marine life to feed on plastic instead of plankton (5gyres.org). www.bagitmovie.com

For more healthy living tips, visit www.lauraseydel.com.

By Elizabeth Patrick

EarthShare of Georgia may be the most important environmental non-profit that no one talks about! EarthShare of Georgia is working for the day when our air, land and water are clean, abundant and healthy. With many companies looking for ways to make their businesses more sustainable and engage their employees, starting an ESGA employee giving campaign provides an easy way for employees to support more than 60 environmental and conservation charities dedicated to conserving and protecting our air, land and water.

EarthShare of Georgia member groups work hard every day to address environmental health risks, restore natural habitats, protect wildlife, reduce global warming, and much more. ESGA annually certifies that member groups operate within the highest ethical and professional standards. This insures that companies and their employees can donate with confidence to our many incredible environmental member organizations.

“EarthShare of Georgia is much more than a fiscal agent for our member groups,” said Madeline Reamy, Executive Director of EarthShare of Georgia, “Our workplace campaign partnerships in both the public and private sector provide opportunities for employees to learn more about the environment, volunteer and have a choice in giving to the nonprofits they care about.”

EarthShare of Georgia was founded in 1993 by its member groups as the Environmental Fund for Georgia to represent them in employee giving campaigns, and to provide an efficient and secure way to manage their donations. In 2001, the Environmental Fund for Georgia officially affiliated with EarthShare, the national employee giving program, to become part of a network representing more than 400 leading environmental groups working locally, nationally and internationally.  It brought with it the fundraising power of the EarthShare network, which has raised more than $150 million for the environment.

ESGA partners with more than 70 employers including federal, state and local governments, Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and colleges and universities. EarthShare of Georgia has raised more than $4 million for our environmental member groups through employee giving campaigns.

Employees can also connect with EarthShare of Georgia’s member groups by volunteering for river clean-ups, establishing parks and community gardens and planting trees. This fosters team-building and enables employees to work together for a common purpose. It also demonstrates a commitment to improving their health and the health of the planet.

“Park Pride thrives on the symbiotic relationship it has with EarthShare of Georgia.  As a member group we are benefiting financially from workplace giving campaigns, provided corporate connections at Earth Day events and offered outreach through neighborhood networking from Corporate Green Day Challenge volunteer projects,” said member group representative & Park Pride Director of Development & Communications Abigail Paine.

EarthShare of Georgia organizes three major annual Earth Day events that help connect business and environmental partners and increases environmental awareness. “At Cox Enterprises, partnering with EarthShare of Georgia on their Earth Day events gives us the largest reach for our sponsorship dollars,” said Jami Buck-Vance, ESGA Board Chair and Senior Manager of Corporate Responsibility, Cox Enterprises, Inc. “In addition to giving through our workplace campaign, the EarthShare of Georgia Leadership Breakfast, the Earth Day Party and Corporate Green Day Challenge offer our employees several ways to demonstrate their support of local environmental groups.”

Find out more about how you can offer the green choice in employee giving and make everyday Earth Day by contacting EarthShare of Georgia today by calling (404) 873-3173 or visit earthsharega.org.

By Laura Turner Seydel

A common fear among women when it comes to applying lipstick is whether or not they got any on their teeth, but that should be least of their worries. Did you know that a 2007 study revealed that of 33 brands of lipstick, two-thirds tested positive for lead?

And that’s not all. Through the 12 personal care products that you, the average American, use each day, you are exposing yourself to more than 126 unique chemicals, including hormone disruptors and carcinogens. Your skin, acting like a huge lung, absorbs these chemicals and allows them to enter your blood stream.

Over time this can lead to a series of health problems, including skin rashes, respiratory issues and even some cancers. For pregnant women, the chemicals can even affect their unborn baby, resulting in developmental issues and learning disabilities.

Fighting to eliminate these dangerous chemicals from everyday personal care products is the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (safecosmetics.org), a nonprofit coalition created to protect the health of consumers by securing legislative reforms.

Currently, due to major loopholes in federal law, it is perfectly legal for manufacturers of skincare and beauty products to add virtually any ingredient into the product recipes, even if those ingredients are health hazards like mercury, formaldehyde and phthalates. In fact, while the European Union has banned 1,100 hazardous chemicals from being used in cosmetics, the US has banned only eight.

Just recently, the Campaign partnered with Southeast Green to host “Get the Lead Out,” an evening to educate Atlantans about the reality of what’s inside their makeup bags.

“With so little done by the government to protect the consumer from toxic ingredients, it is up to us and organizations like the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to educate people about many ways they can make a difference in protecting themselves,” said Beth Bond, co-founder of Southeast Green (southeastgreen.com).

First, you can sign the Campaign’s petition (located on their website) to get their Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 reintroduced to the 112^th congress.  As legislation regarding the cosmetic industry has not been reformed since 1937, it is imperative for our health and future generations that we get this Act passed.

Secondly, and most importantly, you can self-police the skincare and beauty industry. When purchasing products, read ingredient labels. Look for products with simpler ingredients and avoid using products with Parabens, TEG, PEG and trade secret fragrance ingredients, which are protected chemical ingredients that companies do not have to report.

Also, research before you buy. The Environmental Working Group continually updates their Cosmetic Database (safecosmetics.org) with the safety ratings on thousands of products ranging from foundation to lipstick to perfume to sunscreen. You might be surprised that Este Lauder, Covergirl and Neutrogena are just a few of the cosmetics that make the list of toxic products to avoid.

It is important that we educate each other – both men and women – about the products we so generously lather onto our skin.  Continual use of these toxic ingredients will begin to show their affect in the form of illnesses and sicknesses, so pledge to use non-toxic, green products that enrich the skin and are beneficial to your overall health.

For more information about healthy skin care products and other eco-living tips, visit lauraseydel.com.

By Shandra Hill Smith

They spend their working hours as ambassadors steering their clients toward   more “green” choices when it comes to real estate. But for these Realtors – some with EcoBroker certification positioning them to market energy efficient and environmentally sensitive properties – the green-mindedness doesn’t end in the office. For them, green living is a full-time opportunity.

Peter Bade

At least two eco approaches are top of mind for Peter Bade: respecting the earth and recycling. Bade, of Sadlier, D’Aprile & Bade, The Intowners at RE/MAX Metro Atlanta Cityside, says he has been active in Virginia Highland and supportive of the area’s neighborhood parks since 1980. Additionally, “I am a founding member of Friends of Orme Park (FOOP), wrote the winning grant for Park Pride’s Visioning Program, which created the Master Plan for the restoration of Orme Park, and am on the board of the Virginia Highland Conservation League.”

For Bade – who has lived and worked primarily in Virginia Highland for 30 years – being eco-minded is a no-brainer.

“The more open, green space and parks a neighborhood has, the better the community and the quality of life for its residents,” Bade says. “The more parks a neighborhood has the more likely neighbors meet neighbors, which creates stronger ties and a sense of community.” theintowners.com

Sara Lee Parker

As a co-owner and broker for Sanctuary Real Estate in Inman Park, Sara Lee Parker helped to lead Sanctuary in adopting a segment of the Beltline.

Sanctuary’s official Beltline clean-up day is April 16 and the organization is hosting Beltline 101 sessions the first Thursday of each month, while Parker herself also is involved with the formation of a Beltline Chamber of Commerce.

“The Beltline is, of course, a huge example of sustainability and redevelopment and will shape the way Atlanta grows over the next decade,” says Parker, who believes in recycling, reclaiming or repurposing furniture and growing her own tomatoes.

“It is just part of my daily routine,” she says. “I plan to live a long life and I really want to be able to enjoy a healthy, thriving planet, breath clean air and drink clean water! Surely the basics aren’t too much to ask for?

“There are plenty of people who are doing much more than me, but if every person just takes the time to do something small, it will make a big difference! We can all help pay it forward for generations to come!” yourownsanctuary.com or soldbysaralee.com

Jim Getzinger

Everyone can do his part, believes Jim Getzinger, founder of Getzinger Group, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, which serves Buckhead and Intown neighborhoods.

“It’s important for all of us to be conscious about how we impact the environment,” says Getzinger. “Each of us can make small changes that will have an overall large impact in protecting our environment. By changing out light bulbs to using an iPad instead of stacks of First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) sheets, we are making changes both at home and in the office.”

Led by the efforts of team member Jared Sapp, Getzinger and Sapp adopted the Woodrow Wilson Memorial traffic island in Morningside and have maintained the green space for roughly five years. “By adding new landscaping and seasonal flowers, we can assist in preserving the beauty of our neighborhood,” Getzinger adds. getzingergroup.com

Carson Matthews

Carson Matthews not only has taken strides to make his home more energy efficient; outdoors, he says he uses rain barrels for irrigation.

“Being green-minded,” he adds, “means paying attention to how you live your life and constantly learning how you can do a better job and be less impactful on the environment. My family is the most important thing in the world to me and I want to ensure my children and grandchildren have a nice environment to grow up in.  The way things are going today with all of the waste and chemicals and utter destruction of our natural resources, it’s hard to believe much will be left in 100 years.”

To help educate others, Matthews – associate broker and a certified EcoBroker, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty – writes a green homes and lifestyles blog, Green to the Scene (greentothescene.com) and produces a quarterly report, Atlanta Green Home Sales Report, that’s included on the site.

“This report consistently shows that certified green homes sell faster and closer to list price than their standard new construction counterparts,” says Matthews. “As home building returns in the Atlanta market I hope both builders and consumers will take note of this data and make green home building a priority going forward.”

After all, he says, while going green can be expensive, it doesn’t have to be. “It doesn’t cost more to conserve,” says Matthews. “It doesn’t cost more to make a rain barrel and use the water that comes down your gutters. It doesn’t cost more to walk or ride your bike, or use public transportation. It takes time and effort.” CarsonMatthews.com

Oakhurst Community Garden Project will hold its Spring Plant Sale April 8 – 10 with 50 varieties of tomatoes, 30 varieties of pepper, 20 varieties of eggplant, plus over 200 varieties of herbs, fruit trees, perennials, annuals, natives and succulents. The Oakhurst Garden Member Preview is Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and the sale is open to the public Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The garden is located at 435 Oakview Road in Decatur. oakhurstgarden.org

On Sunday, April 17, join the Decatur community to celebrate Earth Day at the Oakhurst Community Garden Project, presented by Latham Home Sanitation, from 12:30 to 4 pm. The event begins with the Earth Friendly Parade, which begins at Harmony Park in the center of the Oakhurst Business District. Join the Feed and Seed Marching Abominable Band and decorate your bike, wagon, stroller or yourself and march in the parade. Once at the event, there will be a cake contest, crafts for the children, a Raptor Show, food vendors, the community pavilion, live music and more. This year’s event features over 30 earth friendly vendors and non-profits in the Community Pavilion including the City of Decatur Recycling Trailer. New this year is a community phone book recycling project sponsored by PitStop. For more information and a complete schedule, visit oakhurstgarden.org.

The 5th Annual Urban Forestry Festival hosted by West Atlanta Watershed Alliance and National Wildlife Federation is Saturday, April 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate Atlanta’s urban forests. The festival is free to the public and will feature educational exhibits, tours of the 26-acre urban forest, food, giveaways, and hands-on activities and demonstrations by WAWA, NWF’s Earth Tomorrow program and their partners. Transportation to 1442 Richland Road is easily accessible via MARTA. wawaonline.org

The 5th annual Eco-Fashion & Accessories Trunk Show is Wednesday, April 13 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Environment Furniture, 1170 Howell Mill Road #P-18. Join sustainable lifestyle expert Laura Turner Seydel and fashion trend expert and meet Atlanta’s top sustainable fashion, jewelry, accessory, footwear and handbag designers. Shop for great deals and enjoy a tour of the Environment Furniture Showroom. Open to the public and free to attend. environmentfurniture.com/atlanta

The 9th annual Captain Planet Earth Day Kids Fest will take place on April 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. The Captain Planet Foundation is teaming up again with the center to present this event with unique hands-on, environmental education experiences including live animals, arts and crafts, canoeing, eco-education and much more. $8 for adults, $5 for kids. chattnaturecenter.org

In celebration of Earth Month, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will display the eco-fashion exhibition Recycle Runway from Santa Fe artist Nancy Judd. The exhibition, which includes 18 eco-trash couture garments, will be on display in nine cases throughout International Concourse E from April 1 through April 2012. Each outfit took between 100 and 450 hours to create and re-uses loops of cassette and videotape, junk mail, dry cleaning bags, crushed glass and more. RecycleRunway.com

The Atlantic Station Earth Day Celebration will be held Friday, April 22, featuring a day of live entertainment, interactive vendor displays and activities in celebration of going green on Earth Day. The events will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Central Park. Dave FM will receive call-ins during the event and will also offer games and giveaways. There will be live entertainment from Atlanta-based “Minutes to Live” – the event will also feature a Runway Images Fashion Show. Coca-Cola’s REV – Recycling Education Vehicle – will be onsite offering interactive games and fun recycling tips to attendees. The Earth Day Celebration will additionally feature more than 25 environmentally-friendly vendors to educate consumers about their sustainable products, free samples, games and giveaways. atlanticstation.com