Love Is In The Air! How To Choose An Eco-Friendly Valentine’s Day Gift.

For those of you just waking from your Super Bowl stupor, I’d like to give you official warning that Valentine’s Day is just 6 days away! What started out as a pagan holiday to celebrate fertility has transformed into a mass-marketed holiday that delights florists, chocolatiers and Hallmark stores worldwide. So since you must use this day to profess your love (or at least acknowledge those you have a slight affection for), here are some ideas for eco-friendly gifts.

The Home-Cooked Meal – It shows that you made the effort to work hard for your Valentine and it lets you customize the dinner to your guest’s palette. And if you choose organic ingredients or home-grown ingredients (say, from your bamboo garden), then you’re creating a green plate. For recipe ideas, check out our Bamboo Flavors section!

Everyone loves chocolate! – One of the most commonly gifted items every February 14^th, chocolate is delicious and general enough to please that Valentine you are still getting to know. Consider gifting Fair Trade chocolates (check your Trader Joes or World Market) or go organic with Sjakk’s. This company has an impressive selection of chocolates and the presentation doesn’t disappoint for the holiday. As an added bonus, much of the packaging is fair trade artwork.

Make it a Party for the Two of You! – Supplement your evening with eco-friendly wine or sustainably grown champagne. Or if she’s really the women of your dreams, perhaps eco-friendly beer is in order! Whatever your poison, you can truly enjoy these options knowing that the companies use sustainable growing practices and recyclable or recycled packaging whenever possible.

It’s true love when you know her true size! – This is a tricky one so I don’t advise it for new relationships. Organic women’s clothing is an excellent gift as she can enjoy the outfit more than once. Bamboo is a highly sustainable material to grow and the clothing itself is as soft and luxurious as silk. If loungewear is too casual, try this organic women’s nightgown or a beautiful hand-painted ombre fashion scarf.

Unique jewelry for a unique Valentine – Every kiss does not begin with Kays. Let your Valentine stand out with one-of-a-kind jewelry including bamboo jewelry! Much of this jewelry not only benefits Mother Earth but also supports local artisans worldwide. Another option is the Leakey Collection featuring Zuluwood and Zulugrass pieces and helps to employ over fourteen hundred Massai women in Kenya.

Locally-grown bouquets – Flowers don’t have to be shipped in from anywhere (even if you live the coldest climates). Take a visit to your local farmer’s market for this year’s bouquet. Get creative and choose seasonal stems if roses aren’t available. Or if your loved one has a green thumb, consider a flowering shrub for springtime planting. If roses are a must for you, visit Organic Bouquet for a wide selection of organic roses that are grown with no mass amounts of pesticides.

A little naughty and a lot of fun! – To spice up your Valentine’s Day, visit Good Clean Love for the cleanest naughty gifts you’ll ever find. Traditional toys for the bedroom are full of synthetic and slightly toxic ingredients but everything here is made from natural and organic materials. As they like to say, “dirty is always better when it’s eco-dirty.”

No matter who the Valentine is in your life, these gifts are sure to give plenty of options while also letting you choose to be kind to our Mother Earth. Be sure to visit our Green is Grand section for more tips on eco-friendly living.