If you absolutely must celebrate this holiday, you can do it more responsibly with just a little thought.
First, if you give chocolate, check the label to make sure it’s organic and fair trade certified.
Next, ditch the flowers and go for something that will last. Try a potted orchid, rosemary topiary, or if it has to be roses, a romantic climbing vine rose can be planted in the yard.
If you’ll be giving jewelry, steer clear of dirty gold and sketchy diamonds at Brilliant Earth, which has a large selection of beautiful conflict-free diamonds. Even Tiffany and Co. has an impressive corporate social responsibility program, including not using real coral in their jewelry and insisting on responsible precious metal mining. If you’re on a tighter budget, pick up a vintage bauble at a consignment shop.
Once again, I got these cool green ideas from Whole Life Times. You can pick up their excellent magazine at yoga studios and health food stores around town if you live in L.A., San Francisco, Seattle, or Chicago, or check them out online.
And one more thing I’d like to add: my favorite card I ever received from my husband was one he made for me. He cut pictures out of magazines and made a collage with words like “woman,” “friend,” and “activist” worked into the design. It was beautiful and I treasured it for years. So get creative and make something – your Valentine will appreciate the effort. And remember, the most important thing about the holiday is to spend time together, not to buy stuff.
Do you have any other ideas for a green Valentine’s Day?
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