We live in a world where being more environmentally conscious is becoming more and more important. Celebrating love and your loved one should be no exception by having a green Valentine’s Day! Let’s nurture both our relationships, and the relationship we all have with the environment.
We love a cultural celebration as much as the next person, but unfortunately they come along seemingly every other week (uggh!). And often involve a tremendous amount of unnecessary waste (double ughh).
Romantic we know, but stick with us here because we are not only going to make your next valentines day far greener but also far more fun. Seriously, would you prefer a plastic flower that gets appreciated once and then forgotten? Or a plant that will provide flowers for seasons to come?
Besides, if you are reading this, chances are you (or your partner) value green living! Thus both of you will appreciate the additional green thumbs up that will come with the potted flowers.
Eco Friendly Flowers for your Green Valentine’s Day
Speaking of flowers, did you know there’s a difference between normal commercial flowers and eco friendly flowers when it comes to green Valentine’s Day?
Unfortunately, the commercial florist industry is not as environmentally pretty as the bunches of flowers that are sold every day. In the industry, there are high carbon emissions, chemical pesticides, lots of excess water consumption and of course tons of plastic wrapping. Some flowers do a lot of miles being transported to different areas. Also freshly cut flowers need to be refrigerated which adds to their impact. Read more about the issues in the floral industry here
Here are some ideas for more eco friendly flowers for your green Valentine’s Day:
- potted plants and flowers from a local provider
- a potted fruit tree, which will not only give flowers but fruit for years to come
- fresh flowers from a sustainable and ethical local florist (not wrapped in plastic)
- a dried flower arrangement from a local provider
- ”faux” flowers made from upcycled plastic, paper or cardboard, or you can even rent faux flowers
- make your own bouquet of faux flowers (try to use materials you already have at home, upcycled or second hand items or buy stuff made from recycled materials. Check out this great example .
Eco Friendly Valentine’s Cards
What’s a green Valentine’s Day without a corny card to convey your feelings? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered for eco friendly Valentine’s cards!
Beware of purchasing from your local newsagent. Often generic cards have been transported across the ocean and are lined with plastic. A better approach would be to hand make your own card, purchase it from a local market artisan, or from a green supplier like Eden Wild Design
Don’t discard the idea of a hand made card by the way – think about it, what is more romantic, more considerate, more laden with feeling: a stock standard store bought replication, or a completely unique expression of your undying love crafted by your very hands?
We know which one we would want to receive – and keep!
But if that kind of creativity is not your thing, do your best to make sure that the card you purchase is plastic free and made from recyclable paper/cardboard. Also consider buying from a sustainable hand made card company or market stall.
Our favourite cards are the ones that double as a seed pod – you can plant the card and it gives you the gift of a plant! Here’s an example of this
This is such a beautiful thing to receive on green Valentine’s Day – seeds! We think seeds are super romantic. From little things, big things grow!
Eco Friendly Valentine’s Gifts for your Green Valentine’s Day
First, let’s talk about what not to buy your special someone: plastics and single use items. Those items are not only bad for the environment, they are not that romantic, and typically require less thought than a handwritten card (more on that one later!).
No, your gift – and importantly the feelings behind it – will be far better received if you take a moment to really consider what your partner would actually want, need, appreciate, and importantly want to keep forever, not just one day.
This isn’t news to anyone of course! If you take some time to think about the gift you give your Valentine, your Valentine will see all the thought and effort and appreciate it and you far more.
So with that said, here are some principles that you can apply when you are looking for eco-friendly Valentine’s gifts for your special someone.
If you can make the gift, do so! The process of crafting and hand making is often less environmentally detrimental than purchasing an item where the supply chain takes it across the ocean and back. You can choose whatever materials and items to use and often this will involve reusing and repurposing what you already have available.
Speaking of, lean into gifts found in local markets, opportunity shops, and other locally crafted boutique businesses. Not only will these items be unique, but they may have minimal to no additional negative environmental impact as there is little additional transport or transformations needed.
Beyond that, if you are buying new, lean into gifts made from wood, glass, metal and/or recycled materials. Seriously, avoid plastic as much as possible. It breaks quickly, then doesn’t break down in waste – a gift for a day isn’t worth an eternity in landfill.
Here are some ideas for eco friendly Valentine’s Gifts your partner will love!
- locally made plastic free jewelry
- sustainable skincare, soap, face oil or a pamper pack
- local coffee, tea, chocolate from a sustainable company
- plastic free perfume bars
- a voucher for an op shop, and you go together and choose things together and make a day of it
- essential oils
- wooden hair brush, plastic free hair accessories
- green bath additions
- a second hand book
- sustainable lingerie
Valentine’s Day Experience Gifts
You know what’s both more sustainable and romantic than yet another thing cluttering the home? An experience.
Like we talked about above, what you and your Valentine’s date enjoy doing will vary. Here are some principles to keep in mind that will make your date sustainable and fun.
Go for free if you can (think: priceless). A walk along the beach, a hike, a free walking tour, or huddling together underneath a blanket stargazing first at the glory of the heavens above and then into the depths of one another’s eyes feels quite romantic doesn’t it? The best things in life are free after all – and they are also most often sustainable.
Now, obviously, many people want to spend and spend big spoiling their loved ones (lucky them!). It can be said that we vote with our dollars. Simply put, where we spend our money motivates the market to do more of that to get more money in the future.
So, choose green companies, cafes, experiences, and locations. Be careful of greenwashing, and supplemental waste – for example, if it’s a coffee date, dine in or take a eco friendly thermos over the single use cup.
With that said, here are some green Valentine’s Day experience gifts to consider:
- a chocolate factory, brewery or winery with sustainable practices
- a getaway in an off-grid tiny home
- go camping
- a visit to a hot spring
- spend time in nature, go forest bathing
- cook dinner, bake your own bread
- do a fun workshop together, think upcycling, candlemaking, soap making, candy making, DIY chocolates etc
When giving gifts – and we love giving gifts – let’s consider the whole life of a present – where it came from, and where it is going. If you receive a present you don’t like, that’s ok, pass it onto someone or give it to an op shop, reuse it, don’t just throw it in the trash.
One last hot tip: if you love confetti, make your own using a hole punch and some gum leaves you found on the ground.
Let’s celebrate love this green Valentine’s Day but also the earth – let’s cultivate love but also sustainability. Small mindful choices can make a significant impact, not only on a bid day, but also on small days and in all our relationships.
