Monday, February 11, 2013

Green Your Holiday: Valentine's Day



Valentine's day is this Thursday. For this holiday people in the U.S. will spend over $14 billion on gifts for their sweethearts. While that's nice, that can also lead to a lot of waste and a large carbon footprint. Today we have a few greener options to keep in mind when spending money on the ones you love this holiday.

1) Organic/Fair Trade Flowers
Flowers tend to be a traditional gift for this holiday, so spend a little extra time to look for those that are organic/fair trade. They're out there and fairly easy to find, you just have to look! While the impact isn't huge, it does make a difference! You can even buy these flowers online! Check out this guide to buying organic/fair trade bouquets online.

2) Local Wine
Another common tradition is wine. If you're over 21, try to purchase a local winery's wine. It's a great way to explore what's available in your community, support a local business, and green up, considering the transportation of importing bottles from all over the country and world. 

3) Eco-Friendly Jewelry
This one sounds odd, we know, but it's very important. Low carbon footprints and friendly sourced gemstones can make a large impact on the environment, but it can all make a positive impact as many sustainable jewelry is also carefully sourced to be conflict free. This article has some great information on why and how to purchase green jewelry. 

4) Something DIY-ed
Homemade presents still carry a lot of sentimental value, even in today's world. Make your own present for your beau and they'll be touched, and you can be a little more green! Check out this website for upcycling craft DIYs- and reuse something while you're creating that perfect gift.

5) If You Can't Do, Buy
With the rise of sites like Etsy, it is also easy to find that great reuse present, without requiring you to have any skills at DIY! Looks around on sites to find a cool, reused object item and your green loving Valentine will love it!

Do you have any other eco-valentine present ideas? Share them in the comments!

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