Green Your Valentines Day

Low Impact Valentine's Day Dates

1. Take a bike ride.  Not only does this get you out and about, it'll get the blood flowing for any physical activity you have planned for later on V-Day.  And of course, there's the added green karma for zero emissions transportation.
2. Plan an outdoor picnic.  Who doesn't love sitting outside on a blanket, eating strawberries, sipping on champagne, and staring into someone's eyes?  Just make sure to bring your reusable cups and plates and your organic nibbles.  If you live somewhere with chilly weather in February, there's always the option of a carpet picnic too! 
3. Have a candlelit dinner...at home.  According to a recent survey of UK restaurants, eating out has a significantly higher carbon footprint than eating with locally sourced ingredients.  Not only does eating in mean you can choose where you get your ingredients, it means you skip the vehicle transport to the restaurant...and back to the bedroom.  Plus, cooking together is just fun!
4. Watch the sunset.  Okay, so it might be a little cliche, but who doesn't love a good sunset?  And if sunsets aren't your thing, there's always star gazing.
5. Get a table for two at an organic restaurant.  If you're not one for cooking, no worries.  There are plenty of restaurants that serve organic and local food.  Check out Local Harvest for restaurants in your area.
6. Have an organic wine tasting.  If you're lucky enough to live near an organic winery, plan a trip out to their tasting room!  Otherwise, pick up a few bottles of organic wine and have a tasting for two at home.

Check out other green dating ideas.

Romantic (Green) Gifts

For Her

1. Chocolate is obviously a Valentine's Day standard.  Whatever you get, make sure to go with organic or fair-trade treats, like Dagoba Chocolate or Green & Black's.  Sjaak's also has an entire line of organic Valentine's Day chocolates.
2. Flowers are another way to go.  If you can't go outside and pick a nice bouquet from your backyard, opt for organic flowers.  Make sure those tulips (or roses or daffodils or what have you) are grown sans pesticides in a sustainable way.  Check out the Organic Bouquet or Local Harvest for ordering options.  And if you prefer to give something other than cut flowers with their limited life, small potted plants will not only keep on giving, they'll also help out your indoor air quality.
3. Jewelry is another classic gift.  Try antique or vintage. Or else, there's something fair trade or sustainable. And if you think maybe you’ll be getting down on one knee, check out greenKarat or conflict free diamonds from Brilliant Earth.  If things go well, check out how to Make Your White Wedding A Little Green. Or you can buy handcrafted rainforest jewelry which also secures a quarter of an acre with coolearth.org. Everyone needs new underoos!  Get your lady some organic cotton or bamboo undies or go with some fun sexy lingerie from Enamore or g=9.8.
4. What about "saying it with trees" for Valentine's day. A gift for either Her or Him, you can sponsor a tree in the name of your loved one. This stops it being cut down in the Amazon rainforest and cuts CO2 emissions. Your beloved receives a certificate and can view the location of where the trees are on googlemaps. All in the name of love. Checkout coolearth.org

For Him

1. Does your man get a little scruffy?  Help him clean up his shaving routine with a natural shaving kit.  Consider some natural shaving cream or soap, a natural bristle brush, and maybe an eco-friendly razor. Perfect for the eco-conscious man in your life!
2. If he's a gadget-y guy, solar accessories are pretty sweet.  There's the Solio, the Soldius, foldable solar chargers from PowerFilm...the list goes on.
3. Like to imagine your man in his skivvies?  Get him some Toasty Boys (or maybe hold off and wait for Bamboo Boys).  They're made from organic cotton and are a great waffle thermal boxer brief.  Or if he's more of a standard boxer man, give Patagonia Organic Cotton Boxers a try.

For both of you

1. Homemade coupons for low-impact activities (like hikes, bike rides, or back rubs) are always a good option (not to mention affordable)!
2. Give experiences instead of "stuff."  Tickets to a green concert, a camping trip, or even a membership to a museum is a great way to spend some quality time.
3. Get a surprise once a month (or week) with a great box of veggies and fruit from a community supported agriculture (CSA) group.  Check out the CSA directory from Local Harvest.  Not only will you be supporting a local farm, you'll also be eating well and you can have fun cooking together.

Check out other green gift guides and ideas.

In the Boudoir

1. Partake in some afternoon delight.  If you're into seeing each other mid-romp, day time fun is great since you don't need to turn on any lights.
2. Do it in the dark.  Who needs electricity when then sparks are flying?
3. Save water, shower together.  Not only will you conserve water, you can help each other soap up.  And if you're looking for something special to go along with shower time, you might want to check out the all-natural Shea Terra Organics’ Pomegranate & Chocolate Love Kit.  It comes with Pink Guava Pomegranate Silk & Shea Body Shower Elixir, Body Lotion, Dead Sea Salt Shea Body Scrub, and Divine Fair Trade Dark Chocolate Hearts.
4. Give a little massage.  We hear natural massage oil candles are a great way to spice up a back rub.  Not only do you get some mood lighting, but you get nice warm massage oil too.  Check out Scandle Body Candles.  If you just looking for organic massage oil, check out Oracle Organics.
5. Bubble bath it up.  Okay, so showers generally use much less water than baths.  But for a special occasion, maybe you'll splurge with a few extra gallons.  Just make sure to use great organic bubble bath or bath salts like Kettle Care Bubble Bath or Brittanie's Thyme Milk Bath Sachets.
6. Got a camera?  Take some pictures of each other!  Whether they're G-rated or otherwise, keep them digital.  That way you can take as many as you want with zero footprint

Learn more ways to green your bedroom fun.

Organic Valentine's Day Recipes

1. Make your own massage oil.  Mix 200ml organic almond oil with 6 drops of sandalwood essential oil and 2 drops of jasmine essential oil.
2. Giving your loved one a home spa day?  Check out these great recipes for homemade personal care products like face masks and moisturizers.