It might seem there's nothing you can do about global warming. The problem is just too big. But we can do our part. We all contribute to global warming. We all have a "carbon footprint," the total carbon dioxide emissions we create when we drive or fly or use electricity. A typical wedding can have a major impact. Now you can help do something about it.

The first step you can take to fight global warming is to reduce your carbon footprint at your wedding is through conservation. Keep the wedding and reception close or at the same place, so people have to drive less. Encourage everyone to carpool. Reduce your impact on the other parts of the environment as well. Be sure that your venue recycles. Make your wedding favors from used materials. When I got married we made our centerpieces from leftover ribbons, bamboo and old vinyl records that were going to be thrown out. People loved them. As a DJ, they saw how much my wife and I had music in our lives and it totally fit. Think of something in your lives that you can reuse.

Then use TerraPass to balance the emissions you can't reduce. The way it works, is when you buy a TerraPass, your money funds clean energy and efficiency projects. The company funds three different project types: clean energy produced by wind power; farm power which makes good use of animal wastes; and landfill gas capture, which reduces the impact of our own wastes. All of these result in verified reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. It's a new kind of environmental movement.

As you calculate the carbon emissions your wedding is using and start to figure out ways to conserve, remember that Green Wedding DJ has already calculated how much of a carbon footprint we'll be using not only at your wedding, but everything needed to get to and from your wedding, all the planning and preparation energy and resources to get ready for your wedding as well as car use to get to and from your wedding and we bought carbon offsets to cover that amount. Then just to be sure we bought some more. And we based our electricity use on regular equipment and lighting, while we actually will bring more eco-friendly equipment such as the latest in LED lighting effects. So, really, after you figure all that in, we're actually more than carbon neutral. It's an ongoing search as we're constantly on the lookout for better ways to conserve.

• First, be sure to use the Terra Pass Wedding carbon footprint calculator to see how much you and your guests are using.
• Urge your guests to follow your example by buying carbon offsets, too.
• Consider reducing the size of your wedding party (bridesmaids and groomsmen) This is one of the easiest ways to not only reduce the cost of your wedding, but also reduce the amount of carbon you're using. Think about it. Tuxedos, dresses, dry cleaning, rehearsal dinners, throwaway gifts, it all adds up to more cost and more energy usage.
• Limit the number of face to face meetings you have with vendors. If possible schedule them on the same day at the same place. Do as much as possible by phone and internet.
• Use recycled paper for your invitations, place cards, table tents, thank you cards, etc. Or even better do it online or do without. At my wedding, we just had open seating. Of course, you could always have people at the door directing guests to their table. (Another option if you're craft oriented is to make your own paper)
• Make sure your printer (if you are going to print out invitations) uses soy inks, bleach free and recycled paper.
• Consider using a postcard as your reply card. Less paper, no envelope, less postage (also less traditional)
• Instead of gifts at a registry, ask for donations to your favorite eco-charity or ask your guests to purchase carbon offsets.
• Rent or recycle your and bridesmaids' dresses. Vintage clothing stores are great fun! Also either way use natural fiber dresses
• Jewelry is usually overlooked here. You can find jewelers that use recycled gold or platinum, or consider a wood ring. And you may also want to consider any stone other than a diamond. Also here's a good place to get something old, something borrowed. Mom or grandma may have some jewelry you can raid.
• Have your wedding and reception at the same place and close by, somewhere nearby in San Jose. You might like to have your wedding at a state park or nature preserve. And while you're at it, ask people to carpool.
• Ask your caterer to use organic food, wine, coffee. Be sure to serve vegetarian fare. Many caterers will, for a small fee, bring leftover food to homeless shelters. Be sure that all your utensils and plates are not disposable.
• Use local grown flowers. The amount of fuel used to get them to San Jose or the Bay Area will be minimized. There are some great nurseries around the Gilroy and Watsonville areas. Then recycle your arrangements. Use them first at the ceremony, then assign someone to bring them to the reception. When the event is over deliver them to a senior center, a nursing home or a hospital
• While we're on the subject of flowers, skip rice throwing. Try flower petals, or seeds.
• Seeds also make part of a nice bridal gift, if you just can't bear giving up that idea, Other eco friendly gifts could be making soap, soy candles. Or why not make a donation in their name.
• Make sure you check out the reception site and be sure they recycle. Do they have their own tables and chairs. That could save a ton of otherwise wasted fuel.
• Consider eco-travel for your honeymoon. There are places that now offer all types of eco-honeymoons.

Let's face it. What we're doing isn't huge. It's just one little step. But every step we take, makes it that much better for our world. And if we all would make that little effort, what a huge difference that would make!

• We buy carbon offsets from TerraPass
• We use a digital DJ system which reduces plastic waste. We play mp3's. And we encourage digital downloading (or else buying vintage vinyl or used CD's).
• Our sound system uses amplified speakers instead of an amp and speaker system. That means we need less power to run at the same volumes. (It also means that it is easy to bring a backup system, just in case. I've DJ'd since 1978, and only once, knock on wood, has a part of a system failed. Luckily no one ever knew, because I was ready with my multiple backups.)
• We use LED lighting. Compared to traditional halogen lights, LED lights compare in brightness in side by side visual comparisons, but use a fraction of the electricity and last years longer. Most DJ lighting effects are available in LED format, so unless you want a laser light show, we'll be saving electricity. You can see some of the effects on our custom package form.
• We have online forms and planners to simplify your preparation and we eliminate much of the paper printing that way. You can send your other vendors to your personal section of the Green Wedding DJ web site and they can all see what you want to have done.