10 Great, Green Valentines Day Gift Ideas!

Having trouble coming up with an imaginative gift idea for your Sweetie this Valentine’s Day? Sure, there’s always chocolate, but consider that swimsuit season is just around the corner after Valentine’s Day. Cut flowers are lovely and smell good, but aren’t they just a little stale in the originality department?

I’ve got a few recommendations for ecofriendly gifts, culled from my “Hot Green Stuff” files—in order from least expensive to most expensive:

1. Unbleached toilet paper. Cascades has introduced one, called Moka. It is made from 100% recycled paper, included corrugated cardboard. Nothing says I love you like tissue untouched by bleach.

2. Burt’s Bees lip balm. The popular lip balm, made with 100% natural ingredients by a zero-landfill manufacturer will make your lover’s lips more kissable. A gift for yourself, really.

3. Reusable tote bag. Goes well with the other gift you’ll put inside of it. Envirosax manufactures some truly beautiful ones.

4. Reusable water bottles. Your loved one will feel so good about replacing a one-use plastic water bottle with an ecofriendly hydration alternative, made of stainless steel or BPA-free plastic. Brita makes one with a filter. And then you can take a romantic hike in the Grand Canyon together, because plastic disposable water bottles are banned there now.

5. Living plant. Truly, the gift that keeps on blooming, and there’re no smelly, wilted flowers to throw away.

6. Organic wool premium socks. Giving your mate Teko organic Merino wool performance socks is like giving all-day ‘ahhhhhh.’ Made in the U.S. with wind power. Very romantic.

7. LED lighting. Replace those glaring fluorescent fixtures in the basement with some dimmable, energy-efficient LED ones. With the lights dimmed, light some soy candles. Pure ambiance.

8. Home recycling center. Imagine the hassle-free relief you’ll be giving because the divided containers simplify separating and make recycling so much more enjoyable. Mode offers one with a built-in compactor and eco-track system.

9. Big soft natural fabric blanket. Brahms makes beautiful alpaca/cotton herringbone throw. Snuggle together and turn down the heat.

10. Electric car. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but an EV is her chariot. She’ll actually be able to hear you whisper sweet nothings in her ear because there’s no engine noise.