February 5th, 2008

Green Hearts for Valentine’s Day

Posted by Monica Schenk

February 14^th has been the day to express romantic love in western culture dating back to early Roman times. However, commercially made greeting cards, mass-produced chocolates, sweat-shop lingerie, blood diamonds and imported flowers did not join the tradition until the 20^th century.

There are so many more personal, eco-friendly ways to express love for your Valentine that we decided to skip the light green recommendations like recycled cards, fair-trade chocolates, and organic flowers. Why spend money and the planet’s resources on impersonal Valentines that pale in comparison to simple gifts of time and creativity?

Here are a few ideas for high passion, low environmental impact Valentine gifts:

Written Word

There are a number of ways to express your love in writing. Poetry was surely invented for this purpose. If you are not a poet, but have a way with research, a transcribed classic will work like magic – I use this one quite a bit myself. For those still uncertain of mutual affection, a humorous haiku might be appropriate for the object of your affection. A simple love letter is another obvious choice or writing down the story of how you met your Valentine for future generations to enjoy. When carefully crafted, words can be a life-long keepsake. I have a love letter from a high school sweet heart that I’m taking to the grave. Lastly, several short messages tucked into pockets, handbags and wallets can have a very romantic collective effect.

Photographs

When you have a good long history with your valentine a sentimental image can carry so much romantic meaning.  A single photo can be blown-up, framed, re-created in another media, made into an e-card or an Andy Warhol-like poster. A handmade collage is another way to make pictures into a unique and special gift. Lately, I have fallen in love with online scrapbooks and slide-shows set to music by Smilebox. These personalized creations are great gifts, because they can be shared with office mates or posted on social network profiles for a more public display of affection.

Reused Paper

I remember making Valentines in grade school with glue, construction paper and heart shaped doilies. My office has a recycle bin that is full of opportunities for creative reuse. I really like the idea of cutting out dozens of hearts and sticking them all over some surprise location for your loved one to stumble upon. Old newspaper can be used to make long stings of connected hearts to display a romantic message. Your imagination and a little left-over paper can make a valentine more dear than anything you could purchase in a store. If you have children, we especially encourage this practice.

Music

If you really want to wear your heart on your sleeve, there is nothing like a good old fashioned serenade. It’s hard not to appreciate even the worst solo concert played in the name of love. You could write a special song for your loved one or learn a classic to play for your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day. A Say Anything, boom box version can be just as charming, if you are totally tone deaf. Technology has created new ways to dedicate a song to your loved one, complete with a mySpace video. I’ve actually seen this done on Facebook, but a simple email with a hyperlink would suffice.

Food

The best way to a man or woman’s heart is through the stomach. A homemade candle light dinner will make anyone feel like a king or queen, especially if you take your sweethearts food preferences into consideration. Combined with an evening walk, a little wine, music and dancing in the kitchen, dinner at home can be truly stellar Valentine’s date. A bunch of citrus fruit or small batch of homemade treats are also great gifts for Valentine’s Day.

If you have an original and low impact Valentine’s Day idea, please share them with us. Only G-rated comments please.

And if you are looking for more traditional green gifts, our friends at Ecofabulous and The Emerald City have put together very dandy Valentine’s gift lists. Enjoy!

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