Setting: Oceanstone Inns, afternoon wedding tasting. It's drizzly out (big surprise in Nova Scotia), I have this weird 24 hour nausea and we're expecting big things for the couple hundred dollars we dropped for a *tasting*.
I look out the window and imagine practicing yoga right -there-, the spot of grass cushioned by trees and on the ocean shore.
The 'Wedding Captain' (yep, that IS her title- but she's sweet so I forgive her. Plus I don't think it was her choice) cheerily brings over two different 'signature martini' options that she has conveniently left unnamed... Um.
Since I think signature drinks are... lame... I took a deep breath and smiled up with a 'sure we'll try them!'
They tasted kinda like gasoline. The former bartender me sipped and judged. My inner (and perhaps whispered to Andrew, I'll admit) dialogue went like this: 'UGH, these taste like crap. I could make better martini's than these. In fact my Green Apple Martinis were kick ass.... unlike these.' Très unyogic.
The food was... meh. However, I think the chef was trying to impress with two lobster options. Little did he know that I'm kinda a lobster snob- what with being a fisherman's daughter and all. After two lobster dishes with the cartilage left in the claws and meat that was either frozen or extremely overcooked (i.e. dry) lobster was vetoed from the menu.
At this point I am seeing the value of having a tasting- no signature drinks, no lobster and that's RIGHT Lisa is the fussiest person on the face of the planet. Thank goodness that I'll probably only eat little bits anyways, since I'll be wayyyy too nervous to be tempting the stomach issues on that day.
Enter specific talk about wedding day stuff with the Wedding Captain. She was fantastic and was actually pretty supportive of our 'we're playing Rock Band, and collecting our own local flowers, and using beeswax candles, and having our own wine bottles for random said flowers...' and so forth.
But... we were getting to the really anal 'eco' stuff that had been plaguing my thoughts for a while. Kinda like when you go to Subway (when I used to go to Subway) and wonder if it was too bonkers to ask the 'Subway Artist' to change their gloves and knife because they *just* had their hands elbow deep in tomato-mayo-onion-pickle juice from the previous sandwich. Ya know, uncomfortable 'are you really asking me this' looks and everything type of questions.
I took a deep breath and: 'Speaking of cottages, is there composting and recycling available for our guests there?' pause and lean back...
I did get the impression that I was probably the first person to ever really care about this aspect with regards to a wedding... but she answered me quite matter of factly and almost didn't even blink when I said I'd consider leaving an instruction sheet helping guests use their organics bin and recycling system. Although I said it was out of my control whether or not they actually used the huge, at the back of the property composter... and she agreed... silently I thought- 'I really really hope they use the composter. I would hate for all that waste to be because of our wedding. Maybe I could include little brown bags and old icecream buckets for ease of use. And make diagrams with pictured instructions.' Insert guilty feeling pang.
.....
and... off to my BFF's wedding for the weekend! Happy Natal Day Weekend everyone... hopefully some yoga will help ease the eco-crazies :)
article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com
I don't think you're crazy, but I do know the feeling. I was at a work training this week where all attendees were provided free water bottles, but no recycling facilities. I took a re-usable bag and collected empty bottles from the people in my small group. Most were happy about the idea, but I got a few odd looks as I fished bottles out of garbage cans.
ReplyDeletei think you ROCK! i have that experience similar to diana - our work instituted composting and put the bright green bins right next to the garbage cans so it's easy, yet the trash cans are full of compostable plates, napkins, etc. lazy BUMS!
ReplyDeleteDear Eco Yogini,
ReplyDeleteSorry to comment "off-topic" but I've been meaning to ask you: what do you use to clean your mat? Whole Foods sells a mini bottle for 10 dollars! And I think it had peroxide in it... I just use water and a towel. But, um...there are dark spots starting to show up where my feet have frequented the mat. ewwww
Your wedding is going to be super amazing!!
ReplyDeleteLOL I know this feeling. When I go to family members' houses and they set out paper plates, I surreptitiously put mine back in the cupboard and get a plate (which I wash after and put right back where I found it). I'm nuts, but they understand and love me anyway.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, your wedding do what you want. Second I totally do the same kind of things haha.
ReplyDeleteah, tell me about it! So exciting to hear about your wedding coming together. (odd. cause stuff like that usually annoys me. must be the eco-twist!)
ReplyDeletewell--as a yogaperson to a yogaperson, isn't it a great idea to check out yogic philosophy about harm and taking in the lives of other creatures into your auric field? i read this in a yoga book years ago that when intaking the bodies of living creatures, the yogi then can internalize the suffering of the animal when it died and it can get in the way of yogic practice. it really helped me understand the negative spiritual consequences of being surrounded with a carnivore atmosphere. i think speaking so casually about the lobsters is kind of depressing. does it get in the way of your eco path? i like yr blog but this might be a consideration in the future. also to be considered are the endocrine disrupting effects of the bioaccumulated plastic and pharma in all foods animals and plants included. ideally i like the idea of fruitarianism with some grains or nuts or beans. or juicing. i feel better then. but i guess everyone's body and aura is there own. and that goes for the lobsters. too bad they had to go down.
ReplyDelete