Inspired by Crunchy Chicken’s recent funny posts - Planning a Green Valentine’s and Sex is Greeny, I assembled my own green list for last-minute Valentine’s day preparations.
- Chocolate - In my opinion you can never do wrong giving chocolate as a gift, just make sure it is the fair trade (slavery-free) variety. Here’s a list of companies known to sell fair trade cocoa products:
- Clif Bar
- Cloud Nine
- Dagoba Organic Chocolate
- Denman Island Chocolate
- Gardners Candies
- Green and Black’s
- Kailua Candy Company
- Koppers Chocolate
- L.A. Burdick Chocolates
- La Siembre
- Montezuma’s Chocolates
- Newman’s Own Organics
- Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company
- Rapunzel Pure Organics
- The Endangered Species Chocolate Company
- Candles - Candles are great for setting the mood for a relaxing, romantic dinner and evening, but there’s nothing sexy about the smoke and strong odors given off if they are petroleum based. Instead look to soy candles as a natural alternative to light up your life. Soy candles burn cleaner and last longer than petroleum wax. Soy is a renewable resource, is biodegradable and is non-toxic and non-carcinogenic. There’s a great local company here that makes wonderful soy candles called Naked.
- Cards/love letters - Save the trees and send a Valentine e-card or write a love email instead.
- Care2 E-cards - For every eCard sent, Care2 makes a donation to an environmental nonprofit to save a square foot of rainforest. How cool is that?
- Charitable giving - Show your loved one that you care for them and others by giving to the charity of your loved one’s choice. Network for Good allows you to choose the amount to give, and your Valentine can select the charity of their choice.
- Sweet Treats - If you want to tint your cookies and treats shades of red, skip the artificial food coloring (Red No. 40) and unwanted side effects - hyperactive kids, anyone? - and go with a natural coloring instead. Check with your local health food/natural grocer.
However you celebrate this Valentine’s day, hope you have a good, green lovin’ one!
Photo credit: Tim Brown Photography
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