The guy's guide to green Valentine gifts

(Feb 5, 2008) Eco-friendly girlfriends are going to want eco-friendly gifts. Valentine’s Day can pose a huge problem to the loving, but eco-ignorant boyfriend who doesn’t know the difference between fair trade dark chocolate and the junk they find at the nearest drugstore.

Fortunately, there are tons of romantic gifts for the eco-friendly lady in your life.

The standards
Just because your girlfriend is green, doesn’t mean that you have to stray from traditional gifts such as flowers and chocolates. With just a little more effort, you’ll find environmentally conscious options for about the same amount of money.

Make it green flowers
No matter what bouquet you’re looking for-- from roses to Peruvian lilies -- make sure they’re organic and grown using sustainable practices. OrganicBouquet.com offers a great selection of eco-friendly options. Smart Money Magazine even recently recognized them as “the best possible combination” of great value, quality product, and earth-friendly practices. Read more about equitable bouquets.

All is fair in love and chocolate
When you’re going the traditional route, you also can’t forget about chocolate. Be on the lookout for organic, fair-trade dark chocolate of the highest cocoa percentage (at least 60 percent). Luckily for you, there are tons of options. Head over to EcoExpress.com and check out their Organic Chocolate Sampler that comes in a handmade beaded fair trade basket. Dagoba also makes an insanely delicious dark chocolate that your girlfriend (and you) will obsess over. You can also consult our article on Fair Trade Chocolate.

Green intimates
Lingerie and pajamas have become a popular Valentine’s Day gift, and eco-friendly options have popped up. Check out the sexy bamboo lingerie line at Spirit of Nature. Mixed in with the more traditional lingerie are more InterKnicker's luxurious green options, like their bamboo gown. If you need to do a bit more homework, read our article on sexy, green lingerie.

Fresh Ideas
If watching every episode of Sex in the City taught me one thing about women, it’s that they love shoes. What better way to woo your lover than through her feet, by pre-ordering Te Casan, actress Natalie Portman’s vegan line of limited edition shoes. There is a buzz developing behind this line and not only will your girlfriend or wife love the shoes but she’ll appreciate you helped her get ahead of the trend.

For some fashionable suggestions if your budget isn’t in check, head over to Modify, where you can order a luscious, handmade scarf with yarn spun from the leaves of banana trees.

But if you are budget conscious, be sure to check out Pangea Organics body care so you can both enjoy a refreshing shower together. Is there anything sexier than cleansing your mate with Egyptian basil and mint body wash?

Also, consider the In2Green Re-used Cotton Throw Blankets from Vivavi -- you can cuddle up with your lover in green-style -- and you know what that will lead to.

Make it about YOU
If your girlfriend has been hounding you to go green in your own life, you should make a romantic gesture and do as she says. If your budget will allow, invite her over to your new and improved apartment or house with a promise of a big surprise. When she enters -- astonish her!

Put up bamboo blinds, shower curtains, and towels. Replace all your incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient fluorescents. Install a low-flow faucet and showerhead. Have a big box of organic fair-trade dark chocolate, organic roses, and a certificate of a tree planted in your lover’s name waiting on your bed -- with newly placed organic bedding and a lucky bamboo stick sitting in a vase on your nightstand.

Remind her that these changes would never have occurred to you without her influence and enjoy a delightful night of her company.

Jason Antebi is an eco-friendly writer and sought-after radio producer. He currently lives in Seattle.



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