What do you think or feel is the best way to spend Valentine’s Day? Want to acknowledge your
love—not just for yourself, significant other, family, and/or friends, but for the
planet?
Look below to see
research, tips, and ideas that can reduce the environmental impact of
Valentine's Day, as well as suggestions for ways to celebrate happily and sustainably.
One projection from the National Retail Federation (NRF) is on the average, U.S. Consumers will end up spending a record $27.5 billion on Valentine's Day celebrations and gifts in 2025.
Best Ways to Love the Planet and
People
on Valentine's Day
1. Provide experience gifts such as a gift certificate for a spa day or concert tickets, rather than perfume or pajamas, and you might just create more than a momentary lift. Make memories and encourage a greater sense of well-being, by spending time with the giftee engaged in an activity both of you love.
2. Plan a romantic home-cooked Vegan Valentine's meal, as its carbon footprint is smaller than an animal-based food one would be.
Read Plant-based Dietary Patterns for Human and Planetary Health from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to show reasons why Whole Food Plant-based (WFPB) eating is healthy both for the earth's inhabitants and the planet.
It indicates transitioning to plant-based diets (PBDs) has the potential to reduce diet-related land use by 76%, diet-related greenhouse gas emissions by 49%, and helps prevent chronic diseases and lower risk of all-cause mortality.
See Vegan Valentine's Day Recipe Roundup for simple yet delicious festive food to cook at home.
Before you gift shop, think of the negative impact the transportation of flowers, chocolates, jewelry, and other gifts add to carbon emissions from fossil fuels and the energy grain caused by manufacturing, shipping, and distributing goods.
There's no doubt that customary Valentine's Day observances leave an adverse eco-footprint that cannot be ignored.
7. Celebrate your Valentine in an eco-friendly way by engaging in outdoor activities together. Some ideas are hiking, biking, skating, or skiing.
8. Buy fair trade chocolate or jewelry. Better yet, make your own.
8. Buy fair trade chocolate or jewelry. Better yet, make your own.
Photo of Dark Chocolate Hearts from Nora at A Clean Bake |
Click the link for a recipe for "Homemade Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate (gluten free, paleo, and vegan)." It's from Nora Schlesinger, the home cook, baker, and mom on a mission to help you and your family live well with food allergies and intolerances. Don't forget to check out many tasty recipes at A Clean Bake.
9. If you are gifting new clothes, choose clothing made from sustainable materials like bamboo or hemp and look for quality products rather than quantity.
10. Recycle, repurpose, or reuse giftwrap, cards, and the like to conserve natural resources and stay within your budget.
11. Instead of shopping for new items thrift shop or hold a swap meet. Give new life to pre-loved clothing and household goods. 💝
Please conserve, recycle, repair, and reuse items on hand. This one measure makes a big dent in curtailing pollution and saves energy, money, and time for us to enjoy life and our precious environment.
In what ways do you demonstrate to loved ones and the planet how much you care for them?
Which ideas sound practical and/or fun to try for Valentine's Day this year?
Please make the effort to develop eco-friendly methods and be a mindful consumer all year long. To foster real change, keep on making eco-savvy moves each day you can.
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Wishing you a fabulous Valentine's Day. Please remember to be kind and loving to yourself, others, and the planet!
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