By Guest Blogger on February 11, 2010

13 Easy Ways to Please your Lover

By Lisa Borden

Being green at heart will make them scream with joy!

Although Valentine’s Day comes but once a year, we can celebrate what and whom we love every day. It is too easy to get caught up in the commercial side of Valentine’s Day; try to remember that it’s not about buying chlorine bleached paper, printed with toxic inks, sealed with icky glue in envelopes. Instead, it can be a day to stop, breathe deeply, and make sure those you love know just how much they are cherished. As with any occasion, a little creativity can quickly trump monetary extravagance. It is even acceptable to be a cheap date, as long as you show enough love, effort, and intention.

Here are a few ideas that allow you to honor and celebrate your sweetie without breaking the earth’s heart:

1. Shower Together. Good news: this is the perfect activity on every front! Did you know that showers account for 22% of individual water use in North America? Showering together provides the gift of an extraordinary experience without the extraordinary pricetag. However, should you want to show a little extra love, add some great organic soaps, shampoo, a low-flow showerhead, and an FSC-certified hairbrush, and wrap it all up with a luxurious, organic bathrobe.

2. Engage in Pillow Talk. Go for the ultimate luxurious gift, a pillow filled with organic buckwheat. These delights mold to your curves, keeping the heat or chill exactly where you need it. Add a homemade organic body scrub (sugar, olive oil and essential oil) for a complete organic spa experience at home.

3. Light it up. 100% soy candles with cotton wicks set the mood without black soot and fumes from standard paraffin, lead-wicked candles (think diesel exhaust while you eat and drink, ick!) Keep your indoor environment clean and your intimate moments pure!

4. Raise a glass. But first, fill it with something local. Look for your local and organic labels at the liquor store. Toasting to good health and happiness without pesticides makes the sentiment much more wholesome!

5. Freeze the moment. Have your pictures taken, or take pictures on your own. And have fun with it! Think of all of the time you spend online or on your PDA…you can carry those shots of your time together everywhere!

6. Screen something. Brew your favorite loose leaf tea in a French Press (no tea bags means no bleach, strings or staples), or enjoy a fair trade, organic hot cocoa and cuddle up under a comfy organic throw to watch a movie. I am fully aware that this doesn’t seem especially romantic, but I promise, it’s inspiring and empowering!

7. Indulge. Studies have shown that dark chocolate helps prevent heart disease and cancer. It has also been shown to improve mood by boosting mood-enhancing brain chemicals. And, when it comes down to it, a little dark, organic, fair trade chocolate tastes good and soothes the soul. If you haven’t tried a glass of raw drinking chocolate, get to it already!

8. Dress up or dress down. Dress up your table and yourselves or, dress down and get down on the floor. Spread out a blanket and have an indoor picnic! Prepare a dinner together. Even the planning and shopping can be fun.

9. Experience it all. Together. Take a cooking class. Go to a museum, art gallery or other attraction. Go mini-golfing or bowling. Get tickets to a concert or play. If you combine your outing with a meal, choose a restaurant with a fresh, local and sustainable menu. You cannot believe how many exist, are affordable and offer your favorite indulgences—all the goodness without the prep!

10. Give a Rose Bush instead of Roses! This really does make sense…ok, maybe you don’t live in the perfect climate for roses year round, but think local, think organic and think about buying a whole plant, tree, or herb that will keep giving and be enjoyed year-round. It will act as a constant reminder of your love for each other.

11. Surprise your loved one (with a sparkly clean kitchen). This is especially effective if you are not typically in charge of the chores. And make sure it includes the inside of the refrigerator, too! All courtesy of your hard work, dedication and ecologically friendly cleaning materials (you can make them yourself!). This is as inexpensive and earth friendly as sparkly and shiny get for Valentine’s Day.

12. KISS (something goodbye). Maybe your plastics or all of those nasty cleaning chemicals need to be pitched. Clean out a cupboard or a room and replace everything with healthier items… or nothing at all! Go through your clothes or books and donate anything you have not needed or used for at least a year. How is this romantic? Consider it going down memory lane, perhaps!

13. Do what’s right for you. Don’t use these ideas if it won’t serve to celebrate your relationship to your liking. But, remember, each time you buy something, you are telling that store or company to buy more and make more. Blood diamonds, phthalates in sex toys, petroleum in personal care items and pesticides in lingerie is anything but sexy for you, your loved one, and our planet.

Remember, “less” in no way needs to mean “less special” for Valentine’s Day. Get to the true meaning of the holiday, keep the twinkle in your sweetheart’s eye, and show love and respect for our planet. Repeat every day rather than just once a year!

Lisa Borden is an eco-advocate and mother of three, whose full-service marketing firm, Borden Communications + Design Inc., is a direct reflection of her commitment to better, more responsible living. She is a dedicated workaholic, admitting that it takes a lot of time and effort to change the world, especially in her non-preachy, fun, engaging and inspiring ways.

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