Red hearts, red roses, chocolates with red decorations— the deep hue is everywhere you look this time of year. But there’s still room for a touch of green to your Valentine’s Day plans! Read on for our tips on celebrating sustainably with your sweetheart this year.
Green Your Greetings
According to Hallmark, approximately 145 million cards are exchanged on Valentine’s Day. And that’s not even including those children give in school classrooms! That’s a lot of paper…and a lot of trees. Think about sending valentines electronically or making them from materials you already have around the house, like old magazines and fabric scraps. You can also use seed paper to craft cards, which, when planted, biodegrade in soil and grow wildflowers. Talk about two gifts in one!
Choose Local, Organic, or Fair-Trade Chocolates
Does your Valentine have a sweet tooth? Pick out the perfect treat for them all while doing good for the planet by selecting responsibly sourced chocolate. Shop from a local business or look for organic and fair-trade confections. Also, be mindful of packaging. As tempting and pretty as those heart-shaped chocolate boxes are, they’re often filled with unnecessary plastic. Instead, opt for candies containing less packaging but that are just as thoughtful.
Pick Pesticide-Free Blooms
A bouquet is certainly a grand gesture of love on Valentine’s Day…except when the flowers have been heavily doused in pesticides. You can easily order organic florals online or consider creating your own arrangement. Gather greenery from your garden or head over to your local farmers market to buy fresh blooms from a chemical-free grower. If your true love has a green thumb, a potted plant is another great alternative. Plants do wonders for air purification, plus it will last much longer than cut flowers!
Give the Gift of an Experience
It’s wonderful to give, but when we give things, sooner or later, they’re disposed of, often ending up in a landfill. Giving an experience can be equally romantic, without doing harm to the environment. Set out for a picnic or hike to a place in nature you both enjoy. Snag tickets to a show happening nearby. Throw on a couple aprons and take a cooking class. The possibilities are endless as long as you’re spending time with one another!
Wine and Dine with the Earth in Mind
A candlelit dinner for two—is there anything more romantic? Just as long as your reservation is at a farm-to-table restaurant! From field to fork, the average dinner travels more than 1,500 miles. Eating at a restaurant promising farm-to-table practices means their offerings are locally sourced and support area farmers. If you’re unable to get a table out on Feb. 14, whip up a meal of your own at home! Pick up ingredients at the farmers market and tap into your inner chef to make a feast that’s sure to impress your significant other. Or make a V-Day memory and cook together!