We at the Desoto blog love Valentine’s Day as much as the next bunch of eco-friendly travelers. However, Valentine’s Day generates quite a lot of waste per year. Put your heart into making February 14th a green affair to remember.
Don’t Go Card Crazy
According to the U.S. Greeting Card Association, one billion paper cards are purchased for Valentine’s Day. That’s a lot of little red envelopes! Instead of buying your significant other a card, try to go with recyclable cards or e-cards. Free e-cards for Valentine’s Day are available online. Better yet, channel your inner five-year-old and get creative with a glue stick and some construction paper. You can easily create a creative and personalized card or poster by looking through old magazines to find pictures that represent your relationship. Maybe you both enjoy going to the beach? Clip some magazine pics of beachside sunsets or other fun things that are unique to your union. The sky’s the limit when lovers decide to make DIY cards.
Flower Power
Here’s another spooky, non-green fact. Everyone loves massive bouquets of roses, but over 180 million of those little red symbols of romance are bought for Valentine’s Day. Because they don’t last that long and need to be thrown away after only a few days, roses and other flowers generate a tremendous amount of waste. Make an empowered, eco-friendly choice and skip the flowers in favor of some cute plants that might last as long as a good relationship.
Earth Love
If you really love the old-time romance of sending cards, but also want to plant something with a strong foundation, try these adorable eco-friendly cards, printed on seed paper that grows into wildflowers. Talk about getting lovey-dovey with the earth.
Homemade Fun
Make the most of your Valentine’s Day dollar and stretch your money by getting busy with glue and construction paper. The decorations can be saved or reused next year, or recycled on February 15th. Better yet, if you’d like to find some funky, green decorations, check out homemade craft marketplace Etsy for natural or upcycled items.
Yummies
Valentine’s Day without chocolate is enough to make anyone’s heart break. Even if you’re ringing in V-Day solo style, chocolate is a must. For maximum green goodness, go for organic goodies.
