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While venue hunting for my wedding, I had a moment of pure disappointment while discussing stemware (of all things.)The wedding coordinator at an unnamed venue in South New Jersey informed me that they only use plastic cups for all beverages served at the open bar. What?! I'm certain my disapproval showed on my face, as the wedding coordinator announced she would direct this part of the conversation at my fiance. Here's the thing... I'm not trying to call any friends or family out but our crew will certainly toss back a few spirits at the wedding. Let's say we invite 150 people and each guest enjoys 3 beverages during the 5 hour reception - that's 450 cups! (Assuming that people don't reuse their previous cup and I certainly wouldn't expect them to remember to do so.) So, suffice to say that place was out of the running. As mentioned here re: save the dates my fiance and I - like many GPB readers - are trying to keep waste at a minimum. This interaction got me thinking ...When it comes to your food and bar menu what are the best options? Here's a few tips:

Guest Blogger Clay gives Julie's nostalgic obsession alma mater a shout out & updates us on the PSU Energy Hub. Read more below! "End-use-efficiency improvements are the cheapest, cleanest, surest, most rapidly expandable energy option we have…the ultimate limits on this option are…the lack of knowledge by firms and consumers about the opportunities that exist and how to exploit them.” -John P Holdren, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Penn State University has successfully lead a campaign to secure $130 Million in grant funding over the next five years to start an Energy Innovation Hub at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The Energy Innovation hub will focus on

Congrats to the following Green local businesses & honors who made Philadelphia Magazine's Best of 2010: Art Star Craft Bazaar Greenable Hana & Posy JuJu Salon & Organics SA VA The Franklin Fountain Tierra Mia TimeCycle, Inc. Best Urban Innovation: The bikes lanes on Spruce and Pine streets Check out these green locals in the print- You still have time to pick up Philadelphia Magazine's August 2010 issue in stores now. (and remember to recycle it after!)

Researchers took samples of umbilical-cord blood of ten babies and found 285 industrial chemicals present. Scary, right? Common food we ingest, cleaning products we use, and personal care products such as shampoo, toothpaste, and lotion we use on a daily basis ALL contain potentially dangerous chemicals. Lucky for us, Greening Your Family is a concise reference guide that gives us safer alternatives to everyday products. Author Lindsey Carmichael, MPH, outlines what chemicals are dangerous (and how they’re listed on labels) and specific brands that are safe. Easy to read, this book has tables, product lists, and additional references if you need more info. Whether you're starting your green journey or already have most of your house green, it's convenient and easy to sort your green product needs. Thanks to Lindsey, I made the switch to Tom's of Maine toothpaste & cut the Parabens from my shampoo & conditioner. We asked Lindsey a few questions about her book: (Read the full interview & ONE lucky commenter can download the app for free after the jump!)

Welcome to Part I in a series we're featuring on greening the "Big Day" (as they call it.) As a recently engaged woman this subject is becoming high on my radar. My experience thus far isn't unique. I want the day to be exceptional, fun, beautiful and authentic to my fiance and I. But... I'd like to do what I can to keep the waste that can come along with a wedding at a minimum! One of the steps that comes fairly early in the process is the traditional save the dates. You book your venue, hem and haw over your guest list, point out that you have no clue who 10% of the people on your significant other's lists are and voila it's time to get crackin. So, how can you make this part of the process greener?

Do: Wash your car on the lawn – the rinse water will water the lawn & divert from storm drains. Don’t: Wash your car in the driveway. Water that runs from your car on the driveway easily enters storm drains and into rivers,...

One of the most popular questions we are asked is "Can I recycle this?" Now that we've gone over what you can recycle for curbside efforts in Philadelphia - plastics and beyond - here's a list of what you can't recycle:

Guest Blogger Clay’s Recommendation: Gasland on HBO Written and Directed by Pennsylvania native Josh Fox, Gasland paints a bleak picture of a booming industry that exploits people and the environment to cash in on North America's natural gas reserves. Startled by the recent development of natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania, Fox heads

Eco-fashion line Doie for Nimli is hosting it's summer sale NOW through Monday August 9th. Click through to check out Doie's line and get your coupon code for 30% off! Doie's line is wearable and feminine with staples that will take you through late summer to fall months in s-t-y-l-e. I'm loving the Sonoma Slip Dress and Mill Valley Trimmed Cardigan. Doie's pieces are made from sustainable materials like bamboo jersey, organic wool, organic cotton or 100% silk. Designer and founder Sara Kirsner studied under fashion faves Marc Jacobs and DKNY.