Turn Wedding Waste into a Resource
Weddings are wasteful.
From food waste to invitations, Green Bride Guide states average weddings produce 400 lbs of garbage and 63 tons of CO2. Think about it! Nearly 2.5 million celebrations happen yearly; that's almost 1 billion lbs of trash!
Don’t stop the (campagne) pop.
Vows take time, patience, and effort. A low-waste wedding allows a couple and their family to reduce the event's effect by employing our eco-friendly tips.
Zero Waste Principals:
Experts share these five principles that aid weddings in reducing the amount of waste they generate.
#1 RETHINK: become mindful when planning - design the day in a way that considers people and the environment.
#2 REFUSE: Say “no thank you” to things with lots of packaging or items that will generate a copious amount of waste.
#3 REDUCE: Reduce what you use and don’t purchase things you don’t truly need.
#4 REUSE: Reuse what you can; repurpose old items or shop second-hand.
#5 RECYCLE: Recreate materials or products into something new.
It might hurt feelings, but…
Hillside Solution’s Sustainability Consultant, Samantha Nieman and husband elope in Hawaii (to cut back on waste).
Keep cutting down the guest list
A larger attendance makes for more food, decor, and favors. Keep it small. The fewer guests, the less waste.
Better yet, make it a “just us” experience by eloping…
Traditional weddings produce the same amount of waste in ONE day, as four people produce in one year. We commend those who break the norm and choose smaller, intimate wedding celebrations. Additionally, you won’t have to shell out thousands on food, DJs, or decorations with this eco-friendly game-changer.
Ma’s scrapbook doesn’t need a paper invite. She can print off the e-version.
Paper invites to sit on fridges and then journey to landfills. Most aren't recyclable (but they are hella expensive). Skip a trip to a local printer. Use websites like Zola for easy e-invites and thank you’s, tracking RSVPs/guest lists, and managing an online photo album.
Paper should be recycled or, even better, be embedded with seeds. Then, guests can plant invitations and watch flowers bloom.
Work with venues that take sustainability seriously
Find a space that's already mindful. For example, ask what happens with event waste while touring venue spaces.
Love a venue? Hate their waste management options? We got you. We can help you manage, reduce, recycle, and compost your wedding's waste.
Additionally, a venue near guests can reduce travel time—the fewer people on the road, the lower travel-related emissions. We're not saying leave the wacky Florida cousins off the list, but it does help minimize waste (and sanity) Ope! Did we say that out loud?
Be a “picky eater” when choosing a caterer
Where do they purchase food from? Do they have any seasonal meals? What are their plant-based options? Ask them how they produce meals and if they compost leftovers. Reducing the number of animal products makes a big environmental difference.
Make a plan for leftover food.
Coordinate with a food rescue for leftovers and tell guests to take their food home. Provide containers or ask them to bring them. It’s a good idea to coordinate with a Sustainability Consultant to offer composting services as well.
Flowers are pretty (and easy to compost)
Buy flowers from local organic growers, or collect your own locally (and ethically). Dry or encapsulate any non-native plants to avoid florals that won’t deposit seeds, pollen, or other insects. Prepare to compost flowers after with Compost Club.
You can buy your own zero-waste dish block when you ask for cash!
Do you need new cookware, bedding, or appliances? Maybe. But truly zero waste gifts are hard to find. Forgoing unnecessary gifts will prevent waste. It also gives a good excuse for hauling unwanted items from well-meaning relatives. Instead, open a bank account and ask for monetary gifts (or lay out the Venmo QR code).
Feel awko-taco asking for cash? Edit the invites!
We're so lucky to have a home full of love, laughter, and furniture. So, if you'd like us to celebrate with a gift, here are our (fund link).
We're over the moon to travel to [X] for our honeymoon. However, if you'd like to help make the experience even more special, we've listed some details on...
Make wedding favors equally eco-friendly and cringy
You’re not required to give wedding favors. But, if you must, they should be cute, cliche, and a little cringe - the cute kind of cringe.
#1: Coffee Beans for The perfect blend..."
#2: Succulents or Native Flower Seeds can "Let love grow...."
#3: Reusable Glassware will be your glass for the night for whatever feels right..."
Dress shopping? Call the fairy Godmother
It's hard enough finding your LOML but the perfect, eco-friendly wedding dress? Yeesh! That's a tall order (even for a fairy Godmother).
The best thing you can do for the environment is to find something pre-existing - vintaged or borrowed. We encourage guests to visit local thrift or vintage shops like Scouts Dry Goods!
Skip the Dollar Store DIYs
Pick somewhere with natural beauty so you won't use as many decorations to jazz it up. Outdoor venues are ideal, and you will only spend a little on flowers. Need a bit more? Ask the venue if they have any rental items.
[FIND A LIST OF WEDDING GROUPS ON FACEBOOK HERE]
Turn Wedding Waste into a Resource
Set up zero waste stations
Luckily for you, we offer zero-waste hauling services (and it doesn’t take too much effort to create zero-waste stations every guest will understand). Use our 12-steps to zero waste guide as a point of reference. It’s specifically made for businesses, schools, and non-profit organizations who are using our commercial pick-up services. But many of the steps are applicable at a wedding, too.
For the folks that need a little more hand-holding (me, I need some), dig into the details below:
Container Recycling:
Knowing what to recycle can be more intimating than your NEW in-laws. Prepare with these tips:
Empty, Clean & Dry: Many things wind up in landfill when we recycle wrong, especially liquids. Please give them a rinse and dry before tossing them in the recycling can as a rule of thumb.
The Human Factor: People are on the other side separating your materials. Be good to them!
When in Doubt, Toss it Out: The recycling system is sensitive, so if you don't know, it's better to landfill than "wish cycle."
Here's the litmus test: Food residue & liquid is fine, as long as there's not enough to bite or drink. It doesn't have to be perfect, but cleaner materials = more recyclability.
Don't Bag Recyclables: Unless it's an EnergyBag, no plastic bags in the dumpster or cart we empty. If recyclables are bagged, assume they will be landfilled.
What types of containers can be recycled?
Metal cans: Dry and Empty
White claw and Busch Lite cans
Aseptic containers: Think milk containers for creamer
Hard & Rigid Plastics (#1, 2, & 5):
Pop bottles
Bulk potato salad containers
Hefty EnergyBag Program:
Traditional recycling streams can only accept certain hard and rigid plastics…so what happens to the rest? Thanks to the Hefty EnergyBag Program, hard-to-recycle items like soft, flimsy plastics can be saved from the landfill!
What can I toss into the EnergyBag?
Chip bags (for when you have a “walking taco” bar)
Plastic wrap (found on packs of water bottles)
Styrofoam, like take-out containers
Plastic Utensils
Compost:
Don’t have a total garbage disposal friend? You know, the one that will eat everything - even though he’s still rockin’ the slim fit dad bod? Too specific?
Either way, most of what’s in waste bins after a wedding is organic material, which is compostable. Here are 3 negative effects of compostables in landfill:
Methane: Release of methane gas, which is 102x worse than CO2.
Space: They take up space, which shortens lifespan of landfills.
Leachate: Moisture & water in these materials mix with everything else to produce a toxic sludge called leachate, which can get into waterways, kill fish & harm us.
Instead, your materials are sent to Hillside Solution’s commercial composting farm, Soil Dynamics in Ashland, NE where they are safely broken down into nutrient-dense soil that winds up in gardens & farms around the community.
What can I compost?
Food waste
Hair (from mid-wedding day hair cut trends)
Napkins /paper towels from the bathroom
Compostable service ware, like spoons and forks
Coffee bar items, like compostable K-cups and tea bags (without staples).
When you compost with Hillside Solutions, we turn it into nutrient-dense soil that can be redeemed at any time. Note: We do not recommend composting dryer lint. Here’s a good link for reasons why you should avoid it.
Where to buy compostable service ware?
Reach out to our friends at Larsen Supply Co or hit up Costco. for compostable service ware in Omaha, Nebraska.
Glass Recycling:
Empty beer bottle or broken mason jar? We’ve got a solution for you.
Bottles & Jars Only: Please, no lightbulbs, mirrors, window panes, etc.
Shards & labels are okay.
No liquid or caps.
Fiber Recycling:
Most cardboard hides behind the bar. Some come from paper sentiments. Either way, follow these recycling requirements:
Clean and dry
Staples, labels, and tape okay
Must flatten
No paper towels, napkins, or plates
What types of fiber material can be recycled?
Cardboard boxes: Nothing wet or soiled. Tape/labels/staples are okay.
Beer & wine boxes
Amazon boxes for gifts
Cardboard photobooth props
Cardboard cut-outs
Paper: Nothing wet, soiled, or food-related, like napkins or paper towels. Plastic screens in mailers and spiral bounds are okay.
Invitations
Thank you cards
Vows (on paper)
Landfill:
Just like your new marriage, some belong together forever. And that’s okay if that’s unrecyclable waste and the landfill. So, when in doubt, throw it out.
What should I landfill?
Gum
Diapers
Ribbons & bows
Wrapping paper
Paper plates
Tampons
Eco-friendly Wedding Vendors in Omaha, Nebraska:
Attire
NOA Brides - Unique, customized wedding apparel and a one of a kind experience. Chat with Rachel about sustainability efforts at this local bridal shop.
Beauty
Music & DJs
Brent Crampton: Sustainability Advocate + Disco Daddy
Stationer
Officiant
Equipment rentals
The Party Bar: Compost clubber & event designer offers unique rentals and bio-degradable balloon art.
Jewelers
Food & beverage
Conscious Comforts: Local sweet treats and feel-good comfort food for catering + special events.
Florist
Second Chance Bouquets - Charity that re-purposes “unwanted” flowers delivers them to residents and patients at local nursing homes and healthcare facilities.
District 2 Floral Studio - Serves Nebraska & Iowa with floral design values rooted in sustainability & slow flowering practices, offering customized floral event work, workshops and more.
Photographer
Stay Wild Elopements: Micro-wedding + elopement photographer that practices Leave No Trace. Midwest + Beyond.
Venue, Hotels & Accommodations
Hotel Deco - Omaha’s best hotel where “past meets presents” composts + recycles with us.
Elkhorn Shores - Soak up all the Elkhorn River can offer in this RV + Tent Site campground nestled in Elkhorn, NE. Eco-conscious wedding + event space available.
The Player’s Club: Omaha’s premier 27-hole private club
Wyndham Omaha