It just makes sense that we would be sending out some love to Sharon on Earth day. She has definitely inspired me and many others to give the earth some lovin.
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Describe yourself in five words. Goofy, Loyal, Stubborn, Homebody, AmusedDescribe your craft in five words. Colorful, Flexible, Organic, Fresh, ScentedComplete the sentence: I cannot live without __love______.Where would you love to live and why? Somewhere in the Caribbean, steps from a good reef to snorkel at every day.What inspires your style? Fashion, architecture, nature (of course), art and European floral magazines.Complete the sentence: What world needs now is __acceptance_____.What is one of your favorite words? The one my cat yells when he gets excited to see I’m awake (finally), I’m still not sure what he’s saying.What are you proud of yourself for? Why? Waiting. My now husband and I waited for each other for 5 years before the wedding, carrying on a long distance relationship as he worked on his Masters in Germany and I developed my business here in San Diego.What is something you would love to accomplish? There are quite a few left on the list. I currently speak Hebrew, English and German well. I need to get my Spanish in order and then move onto Polish, the language of my Grandparents.As an individual, what drives you to reduce your environmental footprint? Just as I want to improve the lives of those around me for having had existed, I also want to improve the earth for having had lived. We now have the opportunity to stop this train wreck. It is absolutely insane not to try. I can’t look a child in the eye, or even consider having one, knowing that I’m leaving them with a less inhabitable place to call home.What steps has Organic Elements made to reduce the company’s environmental impact? Are there options that Organic Elements can offer to clients who are hoping to have an eco-friendly soiree?There are just so many options for everyone. Regardless of client requests, we as a company recycle paper, plastic, metal, organic material and water; replant succulents that come back from events so that they can redevelop as a plant; conserve paper and ink by using electronic everything (including using our website as an online catalogue) until it is absolutely necessary to hit print; conserve electricity by using energy saving bulbs and reducing cooler use by getting a fresher product; we don’t put chemicals of any kind in our water; we use the smallest car that works per delivery rather than driving around a large van that uses more gas than needed we support local growers and all of our plants on premises are grown organically.In addition to our measures, clients can choose to add their own such as: choosing verifloral (grown in a sustainable manner) locally grown and/or organic flowers, choosing recycled material (glass, rubber or metal) containers, choosing designs we offer that reduce water use and choosing to include The Ten Tree Exchange onto their contract.Has it challenged your design aesthetic to try to be trend relevant while also ensuring that you’re not negatively affecting the environment?Of course, taste isn’t always “eco-friendly”. Though the submerged floral with a floating candle topper is beautiful and elegant, I have a hard time wasting so much water. I do try to steer customers away from it however it is often difficult since weddings are indeed so personal and ultimately all we want to do is please.Your Succulent Bowl Bouquet is such an innovative and beautiful design piece! How has the response to this and similar design offerings been so far?First of all, thank you! Every client is different. We have many clients that want to see a lot of lush flowers in simple designs. These edgier looks are not for everyone. It takes a daring, artsy bride to say, basically “Hell Yeah!” We are fortunate to have drawn many of them. Though they do not all choose the succulent bowl, many will allow us to create a custom, eco friendly look that speaks to them.How did the idea for the Ten Tree Exchange come about?I was getting ready for work one morning and it’s as if the idea had been inserted into my head. Reforestation, why not??? Why can’t I??? I had been getting increasingly frustrated with corporations which earn so much of our money that respond to this “green” movement with a comment about “looking into measures”. Why couldn’t my little blimp on the radar company offer the solution while the big guys didn’t? I had the idea, talked to some companies that specialize in it and by the end of the day it was born, The Ten Tree Exchange.You’ve thought of so many ways to make weddings and floral design more eco-conscious and sustainable. What are the top three things that you would recommend to clients to make their special event eco-chic?Think it through, keep it simple and remember that it’s not all or nothing.Do away with programs, no one reads them as ceremonies are growing increasingly shorter.Make sure the favor is something your guest actually wants, not just something you want them to take. If you really can’t think of anything that covers everyone, make a donation in their name. There is no need to create more waste.Have ceremony and reception all in venue. Not only are you saving your guests stress and time but you are also taking an average of 50 cars off the road for about 20-30 minutes.