Wedding Cans

I came across the story of Wedding Cans on Yahoo the other day, and have to say I was very impressed by Andrea's ingenious idea to recycle cans to help pay for her wedding in July of 2010. What struck me the most was that she was able to keep it realistic and frugal, planning to aim for a low $3500 wedding party.

I don't recycle cans because there isn't much incentive for me personally and I don't drink canned soft drinks. Moreover, Texas doesn't impose a deposit like California does with the "California's Redemption Value." "CRV, like all container deposit legislation, has three main purposes: it seeks to encourage recycling, discourage littering, and generate revenue from unclaimed redemptions and sales tax on the CRV."

Back in 2006, the rate was an extra 48 cents to your purchase of a 12-pack of sodas. I would often see people on the side of the road collecting cans, and I've also read stories of families making a living by recycling them; a woman in my town did this- she was always on her bike, lugging around cans in trashbags at the wee hours of the day. 

Realizing how much carbon emissions could be reduced, I was glad that this couple was working for two causes- their wedding and the environment. I hope they reach their goals. I wouldn't be surprised if they got enough buzz to influence the soft drink manufacturers to pitch in with donations as more of their products are purchased.