Suzanne Plunkett / Reuters
From the lavish flowers and decorations to the hundreds of guests jumping on long-haul flights, the royal nuptials will be far from a low-carbon affair. Experts from Landcare Research predict the occasion will generate more than 12 times as much greenhouse gases than Buckingham Palace in a whole year, totaling 6,765 tons of carbon dioxide.
Celebrations on the day could be responsible for an estimated 2,808 tons of CO2, while less than 13 tons is generated by guests accommodation and energy use as well as the landfill and catering for the lunch reception and dinner at Buckingham Palace. And that’s not even including the 400,000 spectators, who will produce an additional 3,957 tons of CO2 by traveling on the tube and a further 200,000 arriving by train to watch the event in London.
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But Clarence House insists it is taking a series of measures to reduce the environmental impact of the service, lunchtime reception, and dinner at Buckingham Palace. With Prince Charles known for his green credentials, it comes as little surprise that what’s on the menu is sourced from sustainable and local organic food and ingredients. The royal couple have also chosen seasonal flowers and asked guests to plant trees or make a donation to Earthwatch, one of the 26 charities benefiting from the royal wedding gift fund, that focuses on environmental issues. And though guests received paper instead of virtual invitations, Clarence House ensured all documents from the event will be printed on recycled paper while Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood will be used in the building of the media stands.
And let’s not forget the most memorable recycled detail of the entire occasion: Princess Diana’s blue sapphire engagement ring that now graces Miss Middleton’s hand. A wedding ring made out Welsh gold instead of conflict ridden minerals further symbolizes the ethical thought put into this ceremony. (Via The Daily Telegraph)
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