Forget Red, Go “Green” This Valentine’s Day

It’s so easy to see red when it comes to Valentine’s Day (for a lot of reasons), but this year treat yourself and your loved ones and sweethearts to a “green” Valentine’s Day. It’s not hard at all — here are 15 ideas to choose from!

1. Eco-Undies

Yep, even the things you don’t see (at least not right away) can be environmentally friendly gifts. You can find underwear, bras, boxers, socks, and lingerie that are made with sustainability, equity, and human rights in mind.

2. Nurture the Nature

Start with The Adventure Journal’s collection of 25 Awesome Hearts Found in Nature, and go from there. Take the day to see how many hearts you can find together: clouds, branches, flowers, and ferns; the signs of love are everywhere.

3. Heart-Shaped Food

You can keep it simple and order a heart-shaped pizza for delivery, or get that heart-shaped cookie cutter out and get creative with bread, cookies, pizza, pancakes, fruit bouquets, even heart-shaped jellied cranberries! Heart-shaped food is fun!

4. Repurpose Paper

Make a new card from old cards, or use colorful mailings, catalogs, and glossy magazines. You can also try these great origami projects using recycled paper.

5. Gently Loved Jewelry

The mining of diamonds and gold has a number of human rights and environmental problems. Instead of a new piece of jewelry, shop second-hand stores to find that just-right piece that says it all. If possible, find out the story behind it…or spin your own tale of romance!

6. Skip the Card and Hearts

All those Valentine’s cards and heart-shaped boxes come at an environmental cost. Those, along with bottles of sparkling wine and other waste produced, equals the same carbon emissions as driving around the globe 3,993 times!
Don’t just grab a card, recite a poem, or better yet, write and read your own!

7. Seed Paper

If you really want to (or need to) buy a Valentine, purchase a seed paper card. Or use some of that old paper lying around and make your own!

8. Eco-Friendly Chocolate

While commercial chocolate can be all-natural, it is not necessarily an environmentally friendly gift. Commercial chocolate is contributing to the destruction of the rainforest and increased carbon emissions.
When picking out your sweet treats this year, try to go with ethically sourced eco-friendly chocolate bar brands.

9. Other Fair Trade Gifts

Fair trade is a global effort to ensure equity for farmers, as well as sustainable practices and increased community resources. This green Valentine’s Day, choose fair trade coffee, honey, fruits, nuts, juices, and more. Whatever you choose, look for the “Fair Trade Certified” logo.

10. Plant a Tree

Not only is planting a tree great for the environment, but it is also an activity you can do together and return to year after year. Not only can it grow along with your love, your family and friends can also celebrate their love under its protective branches.

11. Contain Your Love

What’s better for a green Valentine’s than a gift that keeps on giving? A container garden can grow year-round and have a variety of edible plants like leafy greens and herbs. Buy one from a local grower or put together your own!

12. Seeds of Love

Give “future flowers” like yummy fruits and veggies, lively greens, and even trees and bushes by giving a seed bouquet. Colorful and creative, you can share in the fun of these living gifts as you plant them together.

13. Locavore Love

An herbivore eats plants, an omnivore eats plants and animals, and a locavore eats locally. On this green Valentine’s Day, avoid the chain restaurants, and support local businesses by enjoying a “farm to table” meal.
By eating locally-grown foods, you are helping the environment by reducing the carbon impact of production and transportation, boosting multiple sources of the local economy, and eating fresher, healthier foods.

14. Other Environmentally Friendly Gifts

Sustainability and fair trade are becoming very important values to people. Non-renewable items are contributing to climate change and economic disaster. Today there are more and more eco-friendly products becoming available. For him or her, or the two of you together, these gifts are sure to bring a smile to your loved one and the environment:

• Massage
• Potted plant
• Essential oils
• Sustainable sheets and towels
• Bamboo cutlery set
• Reusable straws

15. 100ideas.com

“Cool with a conscience” does not even begin to describe how incredible this website is. They work with companies that link to their site. You buy quality environmentally friendly gifts from companies that give back.

For example, if you purchase slick bamboo shades from Panda Sunglasses, Panda donates a portion of the proceeds to various partner organizations, including Optometry Giving Sight.

Valentine’s Day can be fun and environmentally-conscious. For a more sustainable future, partner with Spring Power and Gas by contacting us today.