Valentines is just around the corner. For many, they would argue it to be the most romantic time of the year as many a couple smitten by love long to make that special day part of their lasting memory. Others, less impressed would say that Valentines is a merriment that has long since lost its soul to grime commercialization and is no more than another cleverly disguised reason for corporations to make money.
Now whatever your stand is about Valentines, it doesn’t really matter because I’m really just here today to emphasize the importance of keeping it green.
Everyone has their own special way of celebrating the day and I suppose it’s how different or unique you make it that sets it that much deeper into the memory. But generally there will always be those few elements for the day that would be considered essential and here are a few tips on greening them.
Essential elements of Valentines Day
1. The card
Conventional Method:
Buy the largest, brightest, most fancy glossy card with the cutest characters or most heartfelt verses within them directly off the shelf
Price:
Can range anything from a few dollars to that much for a piece of card!
Effect on the environment:
The loss of precious trees
Greening it:
Set aside 15 minutes of your time with a pen, a lovely piece of paper and pen your feelings away. So you’ll end up with a love letter instead, but it’s going to be priceless and she’s going to love you for the effort.
2. The Flowers
Conventional Method:
Red roses in numbers to relay your message. Basically the bigger the bouquet , the bigger the reaction.
Price :
Fantastic enough for you rethink what you can afford for lunch in the coming week.
Effect on the environment:
Chemical pollution from commercially growing the flowers.
Greening it:
Plant a garden bed full of lovely flowers or give her a tastefully presented potted plant.
3. The dinner
Conventional Method:
Book a table at the classiest and most expensive restaurant you can afford.
Price:
Usually more than you’d like to pay for dinner.
Environmental effect:
Increasing your carbon footprints and intoxicating you and your loved ones with unnecessary chemical residues.
Greening it:
Get online, look up a simple recipe that is her favourite and make it using organic or local ingredients. So it won’t be perfect, it might even end up a little overdone but she will love it because every bite was made with love.
4. The present
Conventional Method:
Usually it’s jewelry because let’s face it women love shinny things and it’s easier to get those right rather than dress size or shoes.
Price:
Let’s just say you probably had to save up for this one.
Environmental effect:
Contribution to exhaustion of a non renewable source as well as the potential damage from pollution arising from its trade.
Greening it:
Buy recycled gold or eco-friendly jewelry. If your spouse is open to it, vintage jewelry is beautiful. They are a make that you can hardly find replicated in the workmanship of today. You can actually get them for a good price if you’re willing to spend some time looking.
And there you have it. The essentials turned green. Your spouse should love it because turning it all green took effort and in love isn’t the effort that shows the dedication of the heart?
