Share your love for the environment.
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and what better way to celebrate your love for one another than with our selection of environmentally-conscious candles, chocolates, and cookbooks?
Here are seven eco-friendly Valentine’s Day gifts that will warm your partner’s heart (but not the planet).
1. Natural wax candles
Candles are a staple gift for your loved ones; however, most candles are made from paraffin wax, a petroleum-based material. In fact, the black soot that gathers on your candle is actually the by-product of burning carbon materials, which in turn causes air pollution.
In order to avoid increasing your carbon footprint, natural wax candles are the way forward.
Soy candles, for example, are biodegradable and allow for clean burning. They also burn more slowly, which means you don’t have to replace them as often.
Beeswax is another clean-burning alternative, as well as coconut wax, which is entirely plant-based.
2. Vegan chocolate
Chocolates are always a popular choice on Valentine’s Day, but they are not the most sustainable gift: the dairy industry is one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions; milk, in particular, requires lots of water during production and has a high carbon footprint.
With growing concerns over the ethical nature of dairy production, vegan chocolate is a more sustainable (and tasty!) alternative to milk-based chocolate.
Vegan chocolate contains plant-based milk substitutes such as oat, coconut, and almond produce. Not only that, but the growing popularity of the vegan alternative means that it is now increasingly common to find locally produced vegan chocolate. This will help if you and your partner are concerned about food miles!
3. Organic wine
This year, celebrate romance and pop open a bottle of organic wine.
The wine industry is proven to have a dire impact on the environment: the use of pesticides and fertilizers can lead to soil degradation, and the fermentation process (turning grapes into wine) releases carbon dioxide as a by-product.
Organic wine can help combat these problems. Made from grapes that have been grown without the use of artificial or synthetic chemicals, organic wine is both environmentally – and, allegedly, hangover – friendly.
Furthermore, certain methods of production help to create more biodiverse ecosystems: winemakers lay down cover crops that serve as the habitat for vineyard-friendly insects that are the natural enemies of pests.
If you really want to investigate alternative winemaking, look into biodynamic wines! Produced in tandem with astrological signifiers and the idea that the earth is a living and receptive organism, biodynamic wines are bound to be something different for that certain someone.
4. Dried flowers
What greater romantic gesture is there than a bouquet of flowers? If you’re looking for flowers for girlfriend this Valentine’s Day, a thoughtfully chosen bouquet can be a beautiful way to celebrate your relationship while keeping the gift personal
Rather than buying a bouquet that has been shipped across the country and will wilt in a matter of days, try a dried bouquet.
Dried flowers have a greater longevity than fresh flowers; they can last for up to a year and can even be dried at home, by hanging each stem upside down in a moist-free environment for two weeks.
However, if you don’t have time for a DIY project, instead opt for a dried bouquet from a local florist. Make sure that the bouquet has been air-dried and colored using natural dyes, as the heating process that some florists opt for emits carbon.
5. Organic bubble bath
There is nothing quite as relaxing as a bubble bath (with a green conscience).
Having a bath in itself is not the most environmentally friendly action due to the lack of water conservation, which is why they should be saved for special occasions only.
However, you can make your bubble bath considerably more eco-friendly by using natural products that are not petroleum-based or made from synthetic materials.
Plant-based bubble baths and essential oils are a great way of enjoying a nature-loving bath, and you can stay even more clean and green if you buy from small businesses that create biodegradable products and refuse to test on animals.
6. Vegan cookbook
Get creative in the kitchen this Valentine’s Day with a vegan cookbook.
The meat and dairy industries are huge emitters of greenhouse gases, so why not experiment with a plant-based banquet that is both delicious and eco-friendly.
Trying vegan alternatives allows you to broaden your culinary palette, and most importantly is a great way for you and your partner to have fun in the kitchen.
7. Houseplants
Make a house a brighter home by indulging in a house plant.
House plants have many beneficial qualities – one of which is air purification. House plants can help reduce indoor air pollution by absorbing carbon dioxide, leaving you with a clean environment, and reduce the stresses of modern life.
It is important to think sustainably when buying a house plant. Opting for long lasting plants such as cacti, spider plants, and English ivy means that you have less waste and are less likely to buy more house plants.
You can also buy from smaller businesses and local growers in order to reduce your so-called ‘plant miles’.
