10 Sustainable Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Valentine’s Day is hands down my favorite holiday. 

That might surprise you – but it’s not the consumerism aspect I love, it’s the idea of showing affection and appreciation to those I love most. 

And, it’s the only holiday where it’s socially acceptable to express your love with bad puns.

This post was sponsored as several of the links below are affiliate links.
For more information please see my disclosure policy.

There’s way too big an emphasis on romantic love – I think this day should be treated as a day to celebrate love in ALL forms.

I think, it’s just a nice reminder to appreciate your friends and family!

That said, if you do have a significant other, you don’t need to get them plush red teddy bears that’ll just end up gathering dust. There are so many thoughtful ways to spend Valentine’s Day with those you love – without creating waste.

To help you celebrate, I’m sharing with you some alternative eco-friendly Valentine’s Day gift ideas! 

Let's spread the love – and a sustainable lifestyle – together.

if you’re feeling sexy:

Wanna feel extra sexy? Check out these recycled lace lingerie sets by Azura Bay. 

Not only are these undergarments made from recycled lace, but they’re also size-inclusive and made fair trade in Europe (Bulgaria and Latvia to be exact). 

More than 15 million tons of used textile waste is generated each year in the USA. We certainly need to support efforts being made to reduce that amount – like purchasing recycled lace undergarments! It keeps good material out of the landfill.

Even if you don’t have a partner to impress, it’s nice to treat yourself every once and a while. You deserve to feel sexy while supporting the planet!

to get extra romantic:

Want to start a romantic Valentine’s Day tradition? Write love notes to your significant other in this gorgeous tree-free leather journal!

Not only is this notebook super fitting for Valentine’s Day (it’s red and has a heart on it), but it’s also handcrafted by artisans working with fair trade partners from Noah’s Ark. 

Feel free to sketch each other in it, write love poems to one another, or just write sweet little nothings for their eyes only. Each Valentine’s Day, you can grab the same notebook and repeat the process, all while looking back over your past notes.

Justin and I have had this tradition since our one-month anniversary and it’s my favorite tradition that we have!

for the traditional candlelit dinner:

Got a hot date? Why not setup a traditional candlelit dinner for two? It’s fun to go out, but sometimes staying in and cooking is even more romantic.

Impress your sweetheart with a delicious, plant-based meal. This butternut squash risotto with kale has my mouth watering. I also highly recommend these chocolate truffles for dessert – super easy to whip up!

Oh – and don’t forget the candlelight, of course. I recommend this Awaken candle from Shanti Creations – it'll set the perfect mood.

Did you know conventional candles are loaded with questionable ingredients? They emit toxins into the air as they burn – not exactly romantic.

The Awaken candle from Shanti Creations is so nice because it’s made with coconut wax, essential oils and cotton wicks. It smells like a white floral bouquet of lily and rose petals with hints of sandalwood. No toxins here!

for the perfect exchange:

Are you and your partner a perfect match? Match even more with these hemp his + her undies from Azura Bay. 

These undies are made from organic hemp and cotton blend. They’re soft, antibacterial and easy on the earth. Hemp is great for the planet because it grows fast and doesn’t need any pesticides.

You’ll feel super cute knowing you match with your sweetie, and not sacrificing the planet. To make this an extra festive gifting, give your SO their pair and then show them that you match! If you get my drift… (wink wink).

for the perfect token of your love:

Lots of jewelry you find on the market isn’t exactly eco-friendly. This heart pendant from Luna and Rose is though – it's made from recycled sterling silver which isn’t super easy to find.

I love Luna and Rose because they have an entirely closed-loop production system, meaning they have zero waste from any of their collections. 

They also participate in 1% For the Planet, meaning they pledge to donate at least 1% of their annual sales to charities that give back to the environment.

I love how this heart pendant is subtle, but beautiful. You don’t have to gift it to just a significant other – it makes a lovely gift for friends or moms too!

to replace flowers:

Gifting flowers is nice, but they often come wrapped in plastic and are likely grown overseas which results in a lot of carbon emissions. Why not gift your sweetie a tree instead using Treedom? 

With Treedom, in just a few clicks, you plant a new tree. You choose it online and farmers plant it in their country. 

If you choose to gift a tree to someone, you can select how you’d like it delivered (by message, email or by greeting card – the actual tree doesn’t get delivered to them of course).

There are some cute Valentine’s Day themed offers on Treedom right now where you can plant two trees – one for you, and one for your sweetie.

You will be able to learn all about your tree, including its history. You will be able to see photographs right after the tree is transplanted, you’ll know where it’s growing, receive pictures and updates from the field, and always know what the weather is like around it. It’s such a unique gift.

If you want to gift flowers, I highly recommend the Montana based florist, Earth Within Flowers. They believe in supporting local Montana as well as organic floriculture by sourcing blooms from Northwest farmers, their cutting garden and wild foraging from surrounding natural areas. 

They create beautiful dried flower arrangements for delivery worth checking out.

for something sweet: 

Instead of gifting chocolates from the convenience store, why not spoil your lover with Alter Eco? 

Alter Eco creates yummy, organic, plastic-free chocolate using all-natural ingredients. It’s ethically made so you have absolutely no guilt while eating these tasty treats.

This brand is also a certified B corporation and they’re even working to regenerate the rainforest. Since 2008, they’ve planted over 30,000 trees and offset 14,400 tons of CO2 as part of their goal to be carbon neutral.

Plus, their truffles aren’t wrapped in plastic – they're wrapped in compostable candy wrappers. The wrappers are made from plant-based, non-GMO, renewable material you can compost. 

to snuggle up all year long: 

Nothing beats Valentine’s Day pajamas – you can wear them year-round because they’re just that cute. Especially these heart pajamas from Lonely Hearts. 

I have an older version of this sleep set, but with rainbow hearts and I love it!

Loney Hearts is manufactured in New York City using local, deadstock and certified organic cotton made in green textiles. Deadstock fabric is essentially fabric that would otherwise go to the landfill, so it’s truly sustainable. 

That said, this pajama set is made from 100% organic cotton. These also make a fantastic gift for that special someone!

to keep your toes warm:

Don’t get cold feet! Check out these cozy socks from Thought in hearts and stripes.

The design is adorable, but what I love most is the fact these socks are made from a super soft bamboo blend. It’s breathable, naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Plus, you get a pack of three!

These cute socks make an excellent Valentine’s Day gift (or you can always keep them and treat yourself).

clean perfumes:

Want to smell alluring without harming the environment? I recommend Skin by Clean Reserve, especially for Valentine’s Day.

This perfume smells warm and spicy without the phthalates and toxins found in ordinary perfumes. It’s vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free and features eco-conscious packaging. 

The scent is inspired by – you guessed it – the simple, delicate scent of bare skin. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, it’s inviting all while remaining fresh and pure.

I also really love the Phlur fragrances: They’re all vegan, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic and gluten-free. Plus, Phlur fragrances are sustainably sourced and packaged with recycled materials.

They always use clean, high-quality ingredients – never parabens, phthalates, BHT, phenoxyethanol, and nitro or polycyclic musks.

I personally really love the scent Añoranza - it’s ideal for Valentine’s Day due to its enchanting fresh floral scent that exudes romance and glamour. 

The literal translation of this perfume’s name is “yearning,” which is also very fitting. It’s defined by notes of mint leaves, jasmine, mariposa, and rum.

to pucker up:

Want the prettiest (but cleanest) pout around? Try this radiant ruby lip crème by Aether Beauty – it's such a gorgeous shade!

I love the fact Sephora sells clean beauty products – it means eco-friendly beauty truly is catching on and becoming more accessible. 

What I love about this sustainable lip product is that it’s made with 100 percent recycled plastic, the first fully recycled lip component in the beauty industry. Plus, it’s sustainably packaged using FSC paper and soy inks.

Of course, the ingredients are great too: This lip color is formulated without sulfates, parabens and phthalates. It’s vegan, cruelty-free and gluten-free.

If you prefer a more subtle lip tint, I recommend cabernet cutie from The Humble Hive. This cocoa butter infused lip and cheek stain comes in a compostable tube that’s four times bigger than typical lip balm tubes!

It’s not vegan (because there’s beeswax in it), but it is made using simple, natural ingredients like cocoa seed butter, coconut oil, beeswax, and alkanet root powder.

to get frisky:

Want to get a little naughty under the sheets? Be sure to get the bed ready with SOL Organics bed sheets.

I love SOL Organics because they’re fair trade certified and use organic cotton to craft their sheets! They also have a GOTS certification, which means they only use eco-friendly and socially responsible production facilities.

They don’t use any pesticides, chemical fertilizers of dyes to grow their cotton. Also, their sheets are never processed with industrial solvents, irradiation or genetic engineering.

Everything SOL Organics sells is free from formaldehyde, pesticides, herbicides, endocrine disruptors and phthalates. 

I recommend grabbing their sateen sheets – these are great for winter snuggling (among other things) but will also transition nicely into spring and summer as well. They’re super soft and silky smooth, but very durable.

to send your love:

It’s super thoughtful to make a homemade Valentine’s Day card for a loved one. I absolutely love sending cards to all my friends and family. 

If you’re not into making your own, no worries. This tree-free Valentine’s Day card from Earth Hero is way too cute, plus eco-friendly! You know, I love the “nuts for you” pun on the front.

It’s made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Even the envelope is tree-free, made of wheat straw.

This card is also printed with solar energy, processed without chlorine, and the paper was made with wind power! 

Ten Thousand Villages also sells a bunch of eco-friendly cards for Valentine’s Day as well.

I especially love this handmade ‘Owls in Love card’ – it's made using nuisance plants by artisans working in the Philippines. 

I hope that you enjoyed this list. If you’re curious about other ways to have a more sustainable Valentine’s for kids and friends, I’ve got a whole blog post on that How to Have a More Eco-Friendly Valentine’s Day.

I hope that your day is full of love from your friends, family and that you make some time to appreciate yourself too! How do you plan on making Valentine’s Day zero waste? 

How to Host the Perfect Cookie Swap

I am convinced that a cookie swap is THE perfect holiday party for anyone looking to reduce their waste! No one HAS to go out and buy an ugly sweater, there’s no need to create a bunch of trash, and it’s SUPER festive not to mention - DELICIOUS.

However, if you’re into the whole ugly Christmas sweater thing because, let’s be honest, you know I have two in my closet - get them second hand or one that’s a good conversation starter about plastic pollution.

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This post was sponsored by Alter Eco! All thoughts and opinions are my own. For more information please see my disclosure policy.

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Speaking of good conversation starters, are you familiar with Alter Eco? Alter Eco is my go-to chocolate brand because not only is their chocolate freaking delicious all of their products are made with whole, organic, and Fair Trade ingredients sourced from small scale farmers.

They’re a huge player in regenerative agriculture and they’re working to reforest the Amazon in Peru. Yes, you can buy chocolate AND help plant trees.

Alter Eco plants trees with their cacao producers in Peru. These trees naturally sequester carbon, regenerate soil, and support biodiversity.

In fact, they have planted over 30,000 trees and offset 14,400 tons of CO2 since 2008 as part of their carbon-neutral standard. To bump up that tree count a little more, Alter Eco is planting one tree in the Peruvian Amazon for each holiday gift box sold.

They’re also a pioneer in sustainable food packaging. Alter Eco’s truffles are wrapped in compostable wrappers and their paper packaging is made of FSC Certified recyclable paper. Their chocolate bars, my personal fav, are wrapped in aluminum foil and paper both of which are recyclable.

I have a few recipes at the bottom of the post to get you inspired for your very own cookie swap, and if you’ve never been to a cookie swap, then you’re missing out!

My sorority used to host cookie swaps during the holidays and they were SO much fun. The premise of a cookie swap is very simple. Everyone invited makes cookies or other small hand-held deserts, you bring them to someone’s house, and then you swap. Easy peasy.

I will say, I’m not super staunch on the cookie aspect of the party. I say, go wild. Why not include some bark, brownies, or fudge!?

1. send out your invites:

Invites for this kind of party are pretty important, but you can use something like an e-vite or create a Facebook page. In my invites, I like to remind everyone that my household is a zero-waste household and ask that they don’t bring any disposable cookie trays.

Most of my friends are avid bakers so there’s no need to specify that recipes should be homemade, but that’s the fun of the party! You bring a homemade cookie recipe, everyone gets to sample, take some home, and then the recipes are sent out afterward!

So, on the RSVP form ask what type of cookie they’ll be bringing and ask them to submit their recipes. Since you’re doing this all digitally, you can make a little booklet full of everyone’s recipes and email it out after the party.

2. get plenty of storage:

You can ask people to bring their own tupperware containers or cookie jars to the party on the invite, but you might also want to have a few wide mouth mason jars available for guests.

Wide mouth mason jars make for great cookie storage! Mason jars, of course, can be reused over and over again so you don’t have to worry about sending your guests home with any trash!

Another option is festive cloth napkins. Tie the corners of the napkin and you have a little bindle your guests can take home and decant into their cookie jars.

3. swap, share, sip, snack:

Next comes the fun part - lots of cookies!!

I like to put out a few other snacks like some fruit, veggies with hummus as well as tea, sparkling water, and what pairs better with cookies than champagne?

I think a cookie swap is the perfect zero-waste holiday party because it’s such an easy way to avoid disposables. You don’t have to do a bunch of work because everyone is bringing over cookies. You don’t need to decorate because the cookies are beautiful and festive! And, you really don’t need to do a lot of clean up. Cookies are finger food and the guests will take their platters home with them.

Are you sold or what!? Here are a few of my favorite and festive holiday recipes to get you started!

double-chocolate chunk cookies:

I don’t like mint and chocolate together, but I can’t deny it’s festive. If you’re into mint thins, then swap the sea salt bar out for the Crisp Mint Bar!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cups of almond flour
• 1/2 cup of oat flour
• 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1/4 cup of peanut or almond butter
• 1.5 bars of Alter Eco Dark Sea Salt chopped into large chunks
• .5 bar of Alter Eco Dark Sea Salt melted for drizzling

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 350°F / makes a dozen small cookies / 9x13 pan
2. Add all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl
3. Mix all of the ingredients together
4. Scoop out the mixture and form it into a ball
5. Cut into 12 pieces
6. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten a little bit
7. Place the cookies on a cookie sheet
8. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes
9. Let them cool for a few minutes and then add the finishing drizzle!

holiday chocolate bark:

Bark is one of my FAVORITE easy holiday recipes. Seriously you will be blown away with how easy, festive, and fast this recipe is.

You can use any add-ins you like. I think cherries and pistachios are extra festive for the holidays but I’ve also done pistachios and pretzels, candied ginger and almonds, the combinations are endless! You could even switch this out for the Alter Eco Crisp Mint bars to make it extra festive.

INGREDIENTS

• 5 bars of Alter Eco Dark Blackout
• 2-3 tablespoons of chopped pistachios
• 2-3 tablespoons of chopped dried cherries
• pinch of flaky salt (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. chop the Alter Eco Dark Blackout chocolate bars
2. melt the chocolate over a double broiler
3. once it’s melted pour it onto a reusable silicone mat (9x13)
4. spread the chocolate until it’s thin around .25” thick
5. sprinkle the pistachios and cherries on top
6. add a sprinkle of flaky salt
7. let cool and harden up! To speed up the process you can put it into the fridge
8. pull it out and break it up!

a few other recipes perfect for a cookie swap!

• chocolate covered rice krispie treats
• vegan and gluten-free salted cookie dough fudge
• oatmeal almond chocolate chunk cookies
• paleo super dark truffle stuffed cookies
• salted pretzel chocolate chip cookies

Alter Eco is sold at most Whole Foods and independent grocery stores! It also happens to make a great stocking stuffer so you can pick a few bars up the next time you're at the store.

I wante to thank Alter Eco for sponsoring this blog post! If you make any of these recipes, be sure to tag me and @alterecosf on Instagram!

Is A Real Or Fake Christmas Tree Better For The Environment?

It’s time to answer the age-old question: Which is more ecofriendly – a real tree or a fake tree? As Christmas fast approaches, I’ll bet you’ve probably mulled this over a few times.

Thankfully, I’m here to help provide an answer! Let's break it down together by comparing them.

real tree pros:

First and foremost, real trees smell great – and you can’t get that from an artificial tree. There’s no denying that.

But on a more serious note, there are so many other pros to getting a real tree.

For starters, almost all real Christmas trees are grown on farms. In fact, 350 million trees are grown on Christmas tree farms to be exact.

So, you don’t have to chop a tree down from the forest to get one anymore. This is good because it leaves forests untouched.

Since Christmas trees are grown like crops on farms, the farmer will generally plant another tree whenever one gets picked.

Christmas tree farms are also located in all 50 states, making it really easy to find locally grown real trees. When you buy real trees, you also help support local farmers.

Christmas tree farms are also amazing because they serve as a habitat for local birds, insects and other wildlife.

In fact, if you happen to visit a farm that lets you cut your own tree, you might want to check the tree thoroughly: You may find a bird’s nest in there!

When Christmas ends and you want to take down your tree, the tree can be mulched and used to feed plants. They can also be composted. You can even use their branches and trunk for creating DIY decorations and coasters.

Alternatively, most big cities and towns have curbside pick-up options for recycling real Christmas trees, along with drop-off centers. So, there’s never any need for your tree to go to waste.

I will advise you not to wrap your tree in a plastic bag to put it on the curb though: Most curbside pick-up options won’t accept it if it’s in a bag! Plus, it’s just unnecessary plastic waste (and the bag tends to rip anyway, so you’re better off without it).

real tree cons:

There certainly are a few cons that come with owning a real tree.

For starters, Christmas trees do have some pest problems, so that means they’re typically grown with pesticides that are toxic to wildlife. Sometimes, they’re also toxic to humans too.

These pesticides are usually sprayed in the spring and summer, so their residue is often minimal by the time we get our hands on the trees. That said, even if the consumer isn’t being exposed to the chemicals, the workers and wildlife still are.

When pesticides are used, it can trickle into our rivers and oceans, which threaten the health of aquatic life.

Another con is lugging the Christmas tree up and downstairs, or the fact the pine needles really do get everywhere. It can be a pain to deal with, but those cons aren’t as serious. Plus, you can compost the pine needles or use them to make a pine infused vinegar spray!

fake tree pros:

Fake trees are reusable and cheap: Two things bound to make anyone happy.

You can store these in your basement or attic with ease and never have to worry about purchasing one again, if you so choose. It certainly does save you money every Christmas.

You can reuse a really good fake tree for over ten years, if you keep it in good condition. Some are designed to last 20 or 30 years, give or take. This makes them really great to pass on to your children too.

They’re also typically easier to set up. Some even come pre-decorated, or with lights built in. This definitely makes your life easier.

Also, they’re perfect for those who are allergic to pine trees or don’t like the possibility of bugs crawling out of your tree.

fake tree cons:

Fake trees are, you guessed it, made out of plastic. Specifically, polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, a non-recyclable plastic.

To make matters worse, PVC has been linked to several health and environmental problems. For starters, PVC is heavy in chlorine content, which means dioxins are released during the manufacturing, burning or landfilling of PVC.

Not to scare you, but exposure to dioxins can cause developmental, reproductive and other health problems. That’s because dioxins are suspected to be endocrine disruptors.

Fake trees may also be manufactured with lead and other toxic additives. Is that really something you want in your home, let alone entering the environment?

Worse yet, more than 85 percent of artificial Christmas trees in the U.S. are imported from China. Think about how much fossil fuels it must take to import that many trees from overseas.

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conclusion:

The most eco-friendly tree you can get is a locally grown tree, that was sprayed with little to no pesticides - and make sure to compost or recycle it at the end of its life.

But perhaps an even better option than that is buying a living tree, roots intact, that you can keep as a house plant or replant in your backyard! Of course, not everyone can do this, but it’s a great idea.

If you really must get an artificial tree, plan on using it for a while. An artificial Christmas tree needs to be used at least eight to nine years for it to even come close to being as eco-friendly as a real tree.

However, according to another study that came out in 2009 from Montreal, an artificial Christmas tree would have to be used more than 20 years to be greener than buying a real tree annually. This study takes into account greenhouse gas emissions, the use of resources, and human health impacts.

Taking that into consideration, I’d say opt for choosing a real tree unless you know you can commit to reusing a fake one that long.

Of course, if you already own a fake tree then use it as long as possible!

If you do want to opt for a fake tree, try to get one secondhand or one that says “made in USA” on the label to cut down on the tree’s carbon footprint (seeing how most are flown in from China).

zero waste ornament ideas:

Whatever tree you decide to get, make sure to decorate it with some zero waste Christmas ornaments! Some cute ideas include making some snowflakes from toilet paper rolls, ornaments from dried oranges, or popcorn as a garland.

You can easily make dried oranges by cutting several oranges thinly, placing them on a tray and baking them in the oven for two hours on 200 degrees F. They make adorable ornaments but you can also string them to create a garland as well.

I personally really love salt dough ornaments – so much fun and easy to make. You can paint them using DIY all-natural paint too! I made them here (along with other cute ornaments), in this zero waste ornament post.

What kind of tree will you be getting this year? Do you prefer real to fake ones?