Solar Santa - Solar Powered Lights & Decorations for the Holiidays

When decorating your home and garden for the holidays, check out these new solar-powered LED lighting options. Solar Santa sells a variety of products, from solar-powered string lights, to wreaths, to solar tree lights. Be sure to place the solar-cell in the sunniest spot in order to gain the most power for them to remain lit well into the night. If you decide the solar-powered LED's our too expensive for your taste at least purchase LED over incandescent. LEDs are much better for the environment, reduce fire risk, should last longer and eventually save you money. SOLAR SANTA

Green Fern's Top 5 Tips for Planning a Green Event

Green Business Networking Event of the Season - Huge Success!

We had a great turnout last evening for "The Green Business Networking Event of the Season" co-hosted by Texas Green Network, Austin EcoNetwork and Eco Series. Thank you Roland and Amanda of Eco Series and to Threshold Furniture & Design for donating the space for this special occasion.

Green Fern Events was a sponsor for this event and it was great exposure for us. Everything turned out PERFECT and we couldn't have asked for a better group of people. There are many reasons why I love this city but what I love most is the COMMUNITY. Everyone was connecting and networking and genuinely enjoying each other's company. The music was fabulous. Thank you Fifth Nation - and for your moving environmental lyrics! The food was fabulous. Thank you Spoon & Co. & Dishalicious! The drinks were quite tasty too! Beverages were provided by Live Oak Brewery, Sesa Tea, Texas Water Co., Maine Root, and Habitat Suites Hotel donated the wine. Oh, and my friend and colleague Monique Capanelli of Articulture Designs, raffled one of her incredibly gorgeous and sustainable centerpieces for a lucky guest to take home. It was a fabulous evening and if you couldn't make it this time, we hope to see you next year should we decide to make this an annual affair.

Green Fern Events Sponsors "THE Green Business Networking Event of the Season"

Green Fern Events is pleased to announce we will be co-sponsoring "The Green Business Networking Event of the Season" next Wednesday, October 21 from 6-9pm at The Monarch Building - downtown Austin. The event is co-hosted by Texas Green Network, Austin EcoNetwork, and Eco Series and will feature LOCAL food catered by Spoon & Co./Dishalicious, LOCAL beverages provided by Maine Root, Sesa Tea, and Live Oak Beer, with live music by Fifth Nation.

For more information and/or to sign up for this event please click on the links below.

REGISTER HERE

DOWNLOADABLE PDF INVITATION

10th Annual Renewable Energy Roundup & Green Living Fair

I attended the 10th Annual Renewable Energy Roundup & Green Living Fair this past weekend in Fredricksburg, TX. Even though it was an uncomfortably warm weekend weather wise, the event seemed to have a great turnout. My husband (who is starting a renewable energy consulting business) said he got a lot of value networking with exhibitors as well as sitting in on numerous presentations. I too enjoyed networking with the exhibitors although spent most of the day chasing around and playing with my 20-month old son! There was an electric-powered train ride for the young kids that we road once or twice and the older kids enjoyed making solar-powered ovens out of pizza boxes and constructing solar-powered toy cars. I was impressed too with the little amount of waste produced at this fair. Most people brought their personal water bottles to fill at various water stations and to my knowledge none of the vendors sold bottled water. For more information visit the website.

Soji Solar Lanterns

Check out these modern solar-powered LED lanterns. They collect power from the sun all day and then turn themselves on at night to cast a beautiful shimmering glow. Because each lantern is hand-made and constructed with a silk-like material they are a little more expensive than your typical paper lantern. They are great for any outdoor wedding or special event. According to the company, each lantern (if set in direct sunlight all day) should glow up to 4-6 hours at night. I haven't had a chance to check this out personally yet but hopefully they last as long as they say. To learn more about LED solar-powered lanterns please visit here.

Go Green - Go Organic Cotton!

You may not know this but conventionally grown cotton uses more insecticides than any other single crop and accounts for 16% of the world's pesticides. Organic cotton is one of the fastest growing markets in the textile industry. Mod Green Pod is an Austin-based textile company that sells certified organic cotton fabric for upholstery as well as PVC-free wallpaper. I love their fabrics and designs! They also sell tote bags which make great eco-friendly gifts.

SolaRover: Mobile Solar Power For Events

SolaRover is a new start-up based in Austin that provides mobile solar power systems for all types of commercial, industrial, and emergency applications (YES, this means for the events industry as well - weddings, corporate, and special events). There are zero operating costs and the power, of course, is 100% green! The systems are silent and take only minutes to plug in. Rental costs are reasonable as well. Very cool…check it out! www.SolaRover.com

Kerville Folk Festival 2009 - Bring Your Own Cup!

How simple of an idea yet what a profound positive impact it has at major festivals across the US and globe - when event organizers and producers mandate that you bring and use your own cup! This eliminates literally thousands of plastic bottles and cups, and thousands of pounds of waste. Kerville Folk Festival has been doing this for years and was one of the first festivalss nationwide to adopt this new policy. At first, people complained because change is always hard. But once folks got used to it, it was easy. I carried my reusable cup around all weekend. I used it for water when I was thirsty, beer when I was thirsty and coffee when I needed to wake up in the morning after sleepless nights of great campfire music.  

Green Fern event produces 1 bag of trash!

Last weekend Green Fern Events helped produce an event for 150+ guests that resulted in only 1 bag of trash! If I remember correctly, the garbage bag wasn't even completely full. Kudos goes to Whole Foods Market Culinary Center for managing the food waste portion of the event and to the family for making smart yet sustainable purchasing decisions from day 1 of planning. In addition, there were only 2 bags of recyclables remaining post event- mainly plastic and glass. 

Many individuals have the misconception that an event is green based on the amount of materials recycled post event, or that they used eco-friendly products. But this is not true in its entirety. A truly sustainable event reduces first and recycles last. There is a reason why the 3 R's are listed in that particular order: 1-Reduce, 2-Reuse, 3-Recycle. If you reduce as much as possible initially, purchase or rent reusable items and recylce last...you are more likely to have less waste at the conclusion of your wedding, special or corporate event. Thus resulting in a truly GREEN event! Imagine the positive environmental impact this would have on earth if every 150 person event across the globe only produced 1 bag of trash. We have a long way to go. 

Community Supported Agriculture in Austin - Johnson's Backyard Garden

We just recently joined Austin's CSA - Johnson's Backyard Garden! Over the last 20 years "Community Supported Agriculture" has grown increasingly popular. It is a  great way to buy ultra-fresh local and seasonal vegetables and it helps support your local farmers. Each week we drive to one of the drop-off locations and stuff our reusable shopping bags with an entire box of the most beautiful and vibrant vegetables. We also opted to purchase a dozen eggs once a week which are fresh and delicious! The only problem we've occurred so far is eating all the vegetables. It's forced us to be more creative in preparing meals. Maybe we should start having veggie parties? 

Green Fern Events Donates Organic Herbs for Dell Children's Medical Center Fundraiser

Yesterday, April 26, 2009, Green Fern Events proudly donated 80 herb plants for the Dell Children's Medical Center fundraiser: "Life + Medical Miracles + Hope". The event was held at Heller Hall on 8th and Congress and was sponsored by Andrew and Mary Ann Heller of Heller Records. Green Bistro Catering sponsored the gourmet dinner. 

Each organic herb was individually wrapped in 100% organic cotton cloth and tied with natural rafia. Not only do herbs make great centerpieces and/or give-aways for events, they are sustainable. Instead of discarding flower arrangements post event, guests can take the herbs home to plant in their gardens and use for culinary purposes. 

Green Fern Events Official Launch! News Release

NEWS RELEASE 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         

GREEN FERN EVENTS, LLC OPENS ITS DOORS TO THE ENVIRONMENTALLY PROGRESSIVE AUSTIN COMMUNITY

Austin, Texas - April 2009 – In honor of Earth Day, Green Fern Events is proud to announce the debut of their green event planning and consulting services to the community of Austin. Green Fern Events, Austin’s premier green event planner assists clients in planning and producing high quality events that minimize the negative environmental impact.

In recognizing the increased demand for green event specialists in the Austin area, Green Fern Events has carved their niche. “Our goal is to connect clients to the best local vendors and venues that practice sustainability,” explained Green Fern Events founder, Emily Kahn. The company also aims to be the central resource for all things green related to events in Austin and Central Texas.

Events are by nature transient and wasteful, yet are a part of every culture in every country in the world. During Emily’s studies abroad, she was exposed first hand to humanity’s impact on the environment. Through these experiences, she knew she wanted to ultimately combine her love for the environment with her career and passion for the events industry. "Planning a green event does not only leave a good impression, but a legacy for future generations," said Kahn.

Whether you are an event planner, business, or bride-to-be, Green Fern Events welcomes the opportunity to assist clients with eco-friendly product purchasing, recycling, composting, and waste management solutions for their event. Green Fern Events services range from hourly consultations to full-service event coordination.

For additional information please contact Emily Kahn (512) 712-4833 or visit: http://www.greenfernevents.com.

ABOUT GREEN FERN EVENTS –Green Fern Events is Austin’s premier green event planning company and eco-event consulting firm. The company was created in 2008 for those individuals interested in becoming a leader of this progressive movement. Green Fern Events is dedicated to raising awareness of environmental practices for the social and economic benefit of the community.

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TerraBurger "Fast Food for the 21st Century!"

I must admit, I love a good burger and fries. But THIS locally owned and operated "All Natural and Organic" fast food joint located on the Drag tops them all! TerraBurger is a truly sustainable business from top to bottom. Not only do they use all natural and organic ingredients for the food & bevs they serve, TerraBurger converts their cooking oil into biofuel, uses compostable coffee cups, utensils and packaging materials, and much much more. Got a craving for an all-natural, organic juicy burger? Head out to TerraBurger today! You won't be dissapointed. To learn more about TerraBurger visit their website: http://www.terraburgeraustin.com

Million Tons of Trash Challenge!

Have you heard the latest news? The Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) has set a million ton target for waste diversion, recycling in 2009. The goal is for a million tons of waste to be diverted, recycled, or composted via the travel, meetings and hospitality industries. According to GMIC Board President Amy Spatrisano, "The Million Tons of Trash Challenge is a fun, competitive way to inspire the industry to measure and reduce the waste it produces, cut its carbon emissions, and save money along the way".  I think this is a phenomenal idea and that this challenge will definitely inspire folks in the industry to "go the extra mile" for reducing waste. Green Fern Events embraces this challenge and aims to be a leader of this exciting movement. For more information on the "Million Tons of Trash Challenge" please visit GMIC's website. 

Shimmer & Bliss, Eco-friendly Accessories

"Shimmer & Bliss, Accessories for Life" was featured in the Eco-Fashion show held Saturday, February 28 at the Austin Convention Center as part of the Austin Green Living & Home Products Expo. Shimmer & Bliss is locally-owned and operated by My-Cherie Haley and Mary McBride. They have great accessories for men, women, and little ones, and the company strives to be as sustainable as possible. Not only do they use soy, organic cotton, and bamboo materials whenever possible, they also donate 10% of their proceeds to charity every year. I love scarves and think they make fabulous accessories. For more information about Shimmer & Bliss, please visit their website: http://www.shimmerandbliss.com. Happy "eco-friendly" accessory shopping! 

 

The Lazy Environmentalist is anything but LAZY

Josh Dorfman, green entrepreneur, media personality, and author of The Lazy Environmentalist is anything but lazy. He's website is full of the latest and greatest trends for discovering stylish and convenient ways to green your lifestyle. Check out his "50 Best Green Products". I LOVE this site and refer to it daily. 

Click here: THE LAZY ENVIRONMENTALIST

Proposed Green Events Ordinance in Austin

Yesterday Green Fern Events, LLC participated in the Green Events Ordinance stakeholder meeting at City Hall. In case some of you didn't read the Statesman article a while back, the City of Austin is working on a proposed green events ordinance that will mandate green standards for events with 500 attendees or more, OR occur on City property or at a City facility. The goal of this regulation is to "reduce greenhouse gas and other harmful pollutant emissions, and to help Austin maintain compliance with Federal Air Quality standards, promote waste reduction, reuse and recycling; promote water and energy conservation; and encourage use of transportation alternatives at events".  

I'm proud to live in a city that recognizes the importance of creating "greener" standards for meetings, events and festivals which according to the EPA are "second to the homebuilding industry as far as waste and environmental concern". Austin is a HUGE events town and has been declared one of the most eco-friendly cities in the U.S.  This is great, really great. Green Fern Events, LLC hopes to work with as many of these companies/groups as possible to help them reach their sustainability goals. Go green events! 

Blue Avocado: "Cool Products for a Hot Planet!"

Blue Avocado has developed the first of its kind "gro-pak". The gro-pak is a collapsible, reusable grocery bag system and it's very compact. I think they have a great product(s) and their commitment to sustainability is authentic.