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The old school idea that Valentine’s Day must include jewelry, flowers and chocolates sounds so simple. In reality there are plentiful ways to show that you’ve been lit up by cupid’s bow that can also show your love for the planet. Often times we don’t realize the impact from the flowers or chocolates that come at the cost of deforestation. Conventional ideas to celebrate this day of love can be a lot less loving than we realize. But, there are eco-friendly Valentine’s Day ideas that take care to show your love for SOS and the planet too.
Every holiday or occasion can be given the eco-friendly treatment. By exploring the different options or swapping out one product for another you can greatly reduce your CO2 emission, help to save a rainforest and still enjoy a day that is all about sharing your love. So, if you’d like a few tips about how to celebrate your most eco-friendly Valentine’s Day yet, read on to enjoy these tips.
Fall For Recycled Gold
Glimmering and ethical, recycled gold offers all the beauty of virgin gold, but without the heavy environmental and human footprint. Similar to how recycled fabrics offer a sustainable solution to using what we already have while preserving our natural resources, recycled gold is made from discarded jewelry and electronics instead of new resources.
Beneath its shiny exterior, lies the secret about gold mining’s destructive environmental and social practices. Large pit mines can erode soil, use toxins like mercury and cyanide and use excessive amounts of water. And, the industry is still employing thousands of children who are exposed to these toxins.
This Valentine’s Day embrace brands that have made a commitment to offering beautiful jewelry pieces that are beautifully made. Some of these brands are Positive Luxury Certified or have other certifications showing their dedication to fair labor standards and reducing their environmental impact.
Indulge In Fair Trade Chocolate
Valentine’s Day ideas almost always include chocolate. Did you know that in the U.S we indulge in 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate every year? With each of us consuming nearly 11 pounds each of chocolate yearly it pays to indulge our sweet tooth in something that is good for the planet too. To avoid deforestation, when entire forests are cleared for cacao farmers, some farmers have collaborated with the Rain Forest Alliance to learn responsible and environmentally-friendly farming methods. To ensure that fair human labor standards are met, brands collaborate with Fair Trade organizations to ensure that farmers are being paid fairly. And, to further reduce their impact, some brands will even package their delicious goods in recyclable and recycled materials to help reduce waste.
Gift Plantable Cards
Beautiful wildflowers will bloom after you plant these cards. Designed from compostable ingredients like paper and vegetable-based dyes, plantable cards are good for the earth and are the gift that just keeps on giving. Instead of turning into waste like their paper or plastic counterparts, these beautiful words of love blossom into flowers to delight your loved ones.
Every year Americans mail around 1.3 billion holiday cards. That’s a loss of trees cut down for paper, CO2 emissions from travel and fossil fuels used if those cards are made from plastic (which a lot of your shiny, glittery or smooth ones are). Even gifting cards made from recycled paper or is plastic-free can have a better positive impact for an eco-friendly Valentine’s Day.
Say ‘Be Mine’ With Plants
Roses are red. Violets are blue. But, a plant that keeps living is valued for being true. One gift option for an eco-friendly Valentine’s Day is a plant that comes back year after year instead of flowers. You might give a flowering plant to your giftee or choose an easy-to-care for houseplant that they can enjoy all year round. Whichever plant you choose, both are more sustainable options than flowers.
Most of us don’t realize that the environmental impact of cut flowers isn’t as rosy as they might appear. These flowers are grow on farms that use an excessive amount of water and pesticides. Purchasing plants from your local nursery is a less polluting option. Look for plants that are local to further reduce your environmental impact.