Meghan Meyers.
What work do you do? What's your job title?
I'm the founder and CEO of Portovert Magazine.
How does it relate to the environment?
Portovert is the first and only eco-savvy wedding magazine. We share inspirational tips and ideas on ways to have a stylish and sustainable event. You'll find a mix of DIY projects reusing found objects, information on new "green" products, and ways to reduce overall consumption.
Portovert.com is more than a magazine -- it's a comprehensive event resource. We recently partnered with NativeEnergy to launch the exclusive wedding carbon calculator, which you'll find on our homepage. We feature a Responsible Resource guide of sustainable vendors in the United States. You'll find that list expanding globally over the next few months. We'll soon be offering a free classifieds service where people can recycle their wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, wedding props, and more. We're most excited about the chat room, which will be launching next month, where readers can exchange their own ideas on ways to go green.
Portovert is a faux French word that means "gateway to green." In many cultures, a bride and groom must pass under an arch to symbolize the new path the couple is embarking on together. Portovert helps couples make that path a little greener.
What are you working on at the moment? Any major projects?
Our next big project celebrates World Environment Day (WED) in June. June is, arguably, the most popular month to tie the knot among U.S. couples. We'll be sharing ways June brides (and grooms) can reduce their global impact. Among the festivities: free carbon-neutral rides for brides and grooms in New York City. We've partnered with the Manhattan Rickshaw Company to make tux-clad pedicabbies available for N.Y. couples looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
How do you get to work?
I work from home -- and I advocate telecommuting. Everyone that works on Portovert Magazine works from their little corner of the world.
With the trees as my witness, I do thee wed.
Photo: Conrad Erb Photography
What environmental offense has infuriated you the most?
Greenwashing. Right now there is an increased awareness about our environmental crisis fueled by films like An Inconvenient Truth. Based on public interest, there is currently a media frenzy to find "green" stories, and businesses are responding in full force by generating press releases based on nothing more than creative spin. Press releases are being published as news without any substantial investigation into the environmental impacts of these products or services.
Who is your environmental hero?
Probably not one you've heard here before: Walt Disney. I was fascinated by Disney World as a child -- and not by the roller coasters or the flume ride. It was the monorail and people mover that sparked my imagination. I was seven when Epcot opened, but I remember my grandmother fervently talking about Disney's original vision for a planned community with no cars. The Epcot I enjoyed was a theme park -- a far cry from Disney's original vision -- but Listen to the Land, a ride through the future of hydroponics, still managed to do for me what Disney's concept did for my grandmother. I was fascinated by science and by "smart" living, and it was Disney World that fueled that fascination.
How do you spend your free time (if you have any)?
Evening walks with my husband and my two rescue dogs, Lulu Belle (a Lab mix) and Charlie (a 90-pound Aussie mix) are the highlight of my day.
What's your favorite meal?
I strongly believe in eating on a local level. Recently, I've found myself longing for a simple favorite from Vancouver: fish and chips -- and salted sea asparagus!
Which stereotype about environmentalists most fits you?
I dig solar power.
What's your favorite place or ecosystem?
Salt marshes.
If you could institute by fiat one environmental reform, what would it be?
Enforcing the 100-mile diet. Most food in North America travels 1,500 miles or more. A recent study by Alex Murray, a professor of environmental studies at York University, concluded that imported vegetables have almost three times the ecological impact of locally grown hothouse vegetables, even when added energy costs are factored in. And there are other benefits to eating locally: food that is eaten shortly after being picked packs more nutrients. And eating on a local level supports rural economies.
What's your favorite TV show?
Men in Trees.
If you could have every InterActivist reader do one thing, what would it be?
Brake for abandoned animals. I keep dog treats, spare collars, and leashes in my car.
A Match Made on Earth
I am vegetarian and would really like to have a vegetarian wedding. However, my family and my fiancé's family are very non-vegetarian. My fiancé thinks that people will not enjoy the wedding nearly as much if we do not have meat at dinner. Is it only fair to serve some type of meat to account for different preferences? -- Jenny Raye, Indianapolis, Ind.
Meghan Meyers, Portovert Magazine.
You've invited your friends and family to celebrate your union, not your menu selections. There will be dinner, dancing -- and you and your new groom -- to rejoice over. Guaranteed, your guests will enjoy themselves no matter what decision you come to about the table spread. Consider fresh pasta tossed with local vegetables and herbs; it's guaranteed to please everyone's palate. Still a no-go with the parents? Most caterers will create his-and-hers platters for the bride and groom, so indulge in your favorite vegetarian dish.
I have some friends getting married at the end of May. They have everything they need at the moment so are not registering for wedding presents, and are getting a lot of negative pressure from family and friends for this action. Any advice on how to make everyone happy? -- Deanna Greenwood, Valparaiso, Ind.
Friends and family naturally want to mark this momentous occasion with a gift. Your friends might consider registering for their favorite charity with JustGive.org. They could support a local farm and enjoy fresh monthly produce by registering for a local co-op or an organic fruit-of-the-month club. For more registry ideas, check out Portovert's Wish List.
I am a bride-to-be that is trying to have a wedding that is both "green" and inexpensive. What are some important things I can do? -- Melody Esquer, Berkeley, Calif.
Going green saves green! You pay a premium for extra packaging and fuel when goods travel distances -- buy on a local level and you'll save up to 40 percent.
Is your magazine itself printed on 100-percent recycled paper? Is it made from post-consumer waste or from renewable forests? Is the ink used to print the magazine made from soy or other eco-friendly products? -- Sarah Anderson, Winthrop Harbor, Ill.
Portovert Magazine is an online, monthly magazine (for environmental reasons!). Our Winter Special Issue 2007 will be printed with a soy/vegetable ink on New Leaf paper, a blend of FSC-certified paper and post-consumer waste. We also offset 100 percent of our carbon emissions with NativeEnergy.
I've been planning a green wedding: a smaller, outdoor, minimally wasteful affair, using organic, local products. I want to make a tasteful statement that reflects why we chose to go the route we did with the vendors, food, decorations, etc. What is the best way to present this? We want to give a taste of why this cause is important to us, and maybe get guests thinking. -- Eileen Lambert, Seattle, Wash.
The program is the most appropriate place to share intimate information about your wedding. However, there are other creative ways to incorporate your eco-message. For instance, providing a menu for each table lets you note foods that are local or organic.
I'm glad to see you speak out against greenwashing. My question is somewhat related to that -- in reading through your magazine, I saw a lot of recommendations for "eco" products and wedding services, but wouldn't it be more eco-savvy to minimize consumption and the scale of events overall? -- Mabel Unee, New Providence, N.J.
Portovert helps make "going green" a little easier. Our mission is twofold: to inspire the "eco-curious" to make better, greener choices, and to provide those in the know with inspiring ideas for their upcoming nups. It's a balance. Personally, my favorite column in our magazine is "Something Old, Something New," where we provide DIY instructions on ways to repurpose vintage or found objects. Ideally, we'd like to see everyone minimize their overall consumption, but we understand people celebrate life's important milestones in their own, personal way.
I've had a green wedding-planning business for almost three years now. I'm looking for more ways to network and build my business. Any ideas? -- Jessica Rios, Chico, Calif.
Think beyond the "greenies." Weddings, first and foremost, should be personal. I tend to dislike the word "green" to describe weddings because it suggests there is a look, feel, and tone to the event. Anyone could (and should!) have a "green" wedding. It's all about cultivating your personal style and finding the right purveyors to source your look sustainably.
It seems to me that the biggest impact of most any wedding is that guests fly from all over the planet to attend. In my peer group (25- to 35-year-olds), people are often flying to several different weddings per summer. Do you have a vision for a tele-wedding, or everyone-get-married-in-one-place-at-the-same-time, or any other cool ideas? -- Kipchoge Spencer, North San Juan, Calif.
I got a lot of questions about travel and destination weddings. To note: the average wedding has over 50 out-of-town guests. Post-nup, more than 90 percent of couples jet off to honeymoon. How do you reduce your cloud-choking carbon emissions? If you've migrated far from the family, we suggest flying to them. Extend your visit and turn your celebration into a "weddingmoon." Have over 500 relatives? You can choose to chop the guest list and have a small-scale reception, with only close friends and family. Or live it up, and include the masses -- but forego the gifts. It's more taxing to ship that new 200-pound grill than it is to seat grandma in coach.
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