Be a sustainable Valentine 💌

It’s the season of love once again, whether you celebrate it romantically, with your best friends or by treating yourself. It can also be a time to show the planet some love too. In a time where every event/celebration/occasion has been hyper-commercialised (why am I seeing everything being made in pancake-flavour this year?!), Valentine’s can instead be a time to share real love, aside of the material things. Here’s a few tips for making this celebration lovely all round 💕

• Don’t just buy, show you care – Valentine’s gifts like bears, plastic mementos and other material items are all well and good, but how much are they actually used once the 14th Feb has passed? While there can be a pre-Valentine panic to make sure you have something to give the special someone/people in your life, these items often end up contributing to the global waste problem and do not easily biodegrade. A more heartfelt way to show you care is to do something for someone instead, or share an experience together. It could be cooking them a homemade meal, hosting a move night in, or just setting aside time to spend together. These are the things that matter most and will be remembered longer than the last-minute gifts 🥰
• Support local – If you do want to get a special gift that you know someone will love, take a look at local businesses and makers around your local area. Not only does this support your local community, but you’ll find something more unique that can be cherished for a long time. Where we choose to spend our money is one the biggest ways we have an impact on climate change and the environment, so by shopping small, the positive impact expands within your local community 💚
• Roses or Lilies? – Flowers are synonymous with Valentines, but are they a sustainable choice? Cut flowers imported from overseas have a significant carbon footprint, due to the energy used to grow them and transport them. For fresh flowers, pick local and seasonal blooms, or choose dried bunches that will last much longer and can be reused. Still beautiful, just for longer. Even better, go and enjoy the first signs of spring flowers by taking a Valentine’s nature walk in your local patch 💐
• Ethical chocolates – Another Valentine (and all year round) favourite, the chocolate box! Not all chocolates are made equal though, with chocolate production being a driver of deforestation and unethical labour practices. That’s why buying chocolate is another opportunity for us to use where our money is spent to build a better world. Brands in the UK like Tony’s Chocolonely, Seed and Bean and Divine are all good choices for ethical and tasty chocolate treats. Is this an excuse to buy chocolate..? 🍫

Whoever you celebrate with, share the love this Valentine’s day by showing the planet some love too, it definitely deserves and needs it right now. Love is more than single-use products marketed for one specific day, it’s quality time spent with loved ones and doing something kind for yourself. So avoid the waste, choose quality and show your loved ones just how much you care 💓