9 Sustainable Valentine's Day Gifts

Ensure your Valentine’s day is a good one for both your loved ones and the planet. When it comes to gift-giving, we encourage people to think about:

• Consumable gifts
• Experiential gifts
• Practical gifts that are environmentally friendly and ethically sourced

Chocolate? That’s consumable. Plants? You can get those sourced from environmentally and ethically conscious places. Date night? That’s a great experiential gift. We’ve compiled a list of eco-conscious Valentine’s Day gifts for you to give your loved one(s):

Fair Trade and Palm Oil-Free Chocolate

Treat yourself and our environment by buying chocolate without palm oil in it. How do you know if it contains palm oil? Read the ingredients list, and look for words like Palm Kernel Oil or Sodium Laureth Sulphate. Saturated Fat content of 50% or more is also a red flag. For more details, click here.

Fair Trade Flowers

Trying to determine where to purchase fair trade flowers in Manitoba? There are many businesses located throughout Winnipeg. Read more about the importance of fair trade flowers here. 

House Plants

Even better than giving fair trade flowers (which are likely flown in or grown using copious amounts of electricity and water), try giving a houseplant. Repot a shoot from one of your own or find a locally grown one at a retailer near you.

Homemade Candy

Have a special someone in your life with a sweet tooth? Try making your own candy! No worries if you’re not experienced, it’s actually really simple – just add sugar! Just think of all the packaging and processing you’ll eliminate from your gift. Plus, homemade gifts mean so much more than store-bought! If you’re planning to buy candy, think local and sustainable. 

Date Nights

Date nights (aka experiential gifts) are great memory makers! One example includes a movie night. Get cozy in front of your tv, make some popcorn and get some snacks ready! Stream a new release online, watch one of your favourites, or visit your local library’s website to see what kind of movies they have available for check-out. Or, how fun is a good meal with your loved one? Order from a local restaurant and enjoy each other’s company. Even better, find a restaurant that serves primarily local food, and uses paper/compostable containers! Don’t forget to skip the cutlery and extras. 

DIY Care Package

Make or purchase bath salts, face scrub, shampoo bar, soap bar, beeswax candle, fair trade wine, etc. The options are endless!

Local Honey

Looking to get real cheesy? Find some local honey and make a label or card that says “will you bee my valentine.”

Fair Trade Coffee or Tea

Bonus points if you can find a store near you that carries fair trade tea and/or coffee in bulk and bring your own container to fill. 

Cards

Giving a card? Why not make one using recycled paper, or upcycle a card you already have. If purchasing one, be sure it’s made from 100% recycled content and isn’t plastered with plastic sparkles.

Don’t forget to choose sustainable wrapping options. Click here for some ideas!