MWA Blog: Going Green On Valentine's Day Will Win Their Hearts

Valentine’s Day the Green Way

We’re talking about green ideas rather than the actual color. Read on and see how you can make this year’s Valentine’s Day unforgettable, inexpensive and, oh yeah, rockin’ green!

Skip the Card ~ Standing in the greeting card aisle for 20 minutes doesn't show anyone you love them. Instead opt for a hand-written letter or poem on recycled paper. Or better yet, create a long list of all the things you love about the person. Everyone from your children to your friends, parents and partners will appreciate the extra thought and personal touch much more than a store bought card.

Buy a Potted Live Plant ~ Roses are often the staple to this holiday. Unfortunately, most roses are grown under unfair working conditions and in poisonous greenhouses. Nearly 650 million roses each year are imported into the U.S. from greenhouses in Ecuador. A live plant will live so much longer than a dozen red roses and cost a fraction of the price. As an extra bonus, a live plant will detox indoor air quality, making it a healthier gift.

Make a Romantic Music CD ~ Do they drive to work? Do they run with their iPod? Make a collection of meaningful songs for their iPod or record them on a CD. Include songs that make them think of you, songs that make them run faster, songs that put a smile on their faces when they drive to work, and songs that make them want to come home faster to you!

Eat in Instead of Going to a Restaurant ~ A homemade, homegrown, local and/or organic meal is a great alternative to eating out. Organic wine is an easy find. Using beeswax candles will add the romantic touch without breathing the fumes.

Give Her or Him a Massage ~ There’s nothing more romantic, inexpensive (and green) than a massage from you. Dim the lights, get out the soy candles and the essential oil. Spend quality time kneading out those nasty knots from your partner’s tense muscles and then, if you are lucky, your partner will do the same for you!

Plant a Tree ~ It might not seem romantic at first, but having a tree planted in your sweetheart’s name can be a beautiful gift. Sell it with “as the tree grows so does our love” and you have the makings of an incredibly romantic gift that also helps the earth. You can buy a tree from a local nursery to plant yourself and tie it off with a green bow or hire a tree service to plant one for you.

Make it Yourself ~ Of course the best gift you could give is something that you made yourself. Skip all the fancy packaging and put something together with your own two hands. It often makes it the more eco-friendly option. How about self-painted pottery, a photograph you took, hand-knitted socks or a simple sketch or painting? The gifts we treasure most are always the ones from the heart!

Spending quality time together is really what Valentine’s Day is about, isn’t it? Make it memorable and “green.”           

Sources: sustainablebabysteps.com; greenlivingideas.com; theenvironmentalblog.org; ecobites.com

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