A Couple Saves 10-Cent Refunds From Recycled Cans to Pay for Their Wedding. They’ve Already Made $6,000

Over 300 million tons of plastic and 200 billion aluminum cans are manufactured every year, 50% of which are only for single-use purposes. This young couple from Australia found a way to help the environment and save up for their dream wedding at the same time using 10-cent refunds for recycled cans.

Bright Side was deeply impressed by this story and decided to share it with you!

Leonie Starr and Matthew Porter combined their love for nature and the challenge of raising money for their dream wedding by collecting and recycling plastic bottles and glass and aluminum cans.

Their journey didn’t begin long ago. The state government of Queensland, where Leonie is from, introduced a container refund program — which means that if you bring a bottle or can to a recycling point, you receive 10 cents per item.

Leonie and her fiancé started this project in November 2018 and the goal was to raise $81,000 for their big day. To do this they needed to recycle 810,000 bottles and cans. Their dream wedding involved a beach resort on an island in the Republic of Vanuatu (where Matthew proposed to Leonie in March of 2018), accommodations and meals for 35 guests for almost a week, and the wedding ceremony itself.

The couple started sharing their achievements on their Facebook page called “A Recycled Wedding” and got a lot of individual supporters and local businesses to help them make their dream come true. Today, they’ve hit 60,000 bottles which is equivalent to $6,000! On her Facebook page, Leonie also shares ideas on how to be more eco-friendly in general and teaches about how everything can be reused or recycled.

The couple plans to get married in March of 2020.

This story is a major inspiration and a great example of how nothing is impossible for a willing heart. Long story short, Leonie and Matthew will sure have something to tell their grandchildren about one day!

Would you have enough courage to do something like this? Tell us in the comment section below!