Earth Friendly

After you have ordered your valentine’s day gifts from 1-800 Flowers, you have to plan out your evening with your special someone. A great way to spend quality time with your sweetheart and reduce your impact on the environment is to celebrate at home.

Setup your valentine’s flowers on the table with a few candles and serve your sweetie’s favorite meal and dessert. Not only is this romantic, but it enables you to talk and catch up with each other. Having a private conversation at a restaurant can be difficult, especially on Valentine’s Day when it’s crowded and loud. Another option is to serve bed in breakfast on a tray with the valentines roses.

Staying indoors can be romantic, and if you are a couple that barely gets to see each other because of work, this can help you keep the fire burning.

Valentine’s Day is coming up, so what do you have planned for your special someone?  Maybe your significant other is expecting to be showered with a dozen red roses and a box of chocolate. Even though your sweetheart might be expecting these traditional gifts, you can still make them eco-friendly.

When you are getting long stem roses , look for organic flower shops that don’t use harmful pesticides. 1-800 Flowers has some eco-friendly options. Also, consider switching things up a bit by surprising your sweetie with pink roses instead of red. For the chocolate, buy fair-trade organic chocolate. If you want to buy some fruit to go along with the chocolate, make sure to buy locally grown organic crops.

Valentine’s Day is a special day that celebrates your relationship, but also remember to celebrate the relationship you have with the Earth.

I hope everyone has a prosperous New Year. If you are hosting a party, serve organic wine and champagne and have some vegetarian options for those who don’t want to eat meat. If you are planning on party hopping all night, make sure to bring a little something with you for the party hosts. Find out what the hosts need or just bring a bottle of wine because that will most likely be used. Also, try to travel to each party in one car with your friends to save on gas. Lastly, be safe by having a designated driver. Renting a limo or catching a cab might be the best option if you’re going all out.

I hope everyone has a warm and loving holiday with friends and family. It’s hard to believe that the year is already wrapping up. Enjoy your break while you can because hopefully the new year will bring you the motivation you need to make big changes in your life.

While you are conversing with friends and family, find out what you want to change in the new year. Maybe you want to start recycling, composting, reducing waste, etc. Start brainstorming what you want to change, so you are better prepared to write out and accomplish your 2009 New Year’s Resolutions.

Are you panicking because Christmas Eve is tomorrow? Do you have a handful of people to buy for still? Remember, gifts don’t have to be expensive or complicated; they just have to be thoughtful. For example, create a card or coupon for them saying that you will treat them to dinner or lunch. Also, consider re-gifting the presents you have received early. How many candles and body lotions do you really need? If you think the person will get better use out of it than you will then re-gift it. While some of you readers out there might look down on gifting, it’s really not that horrible because you are preventing an item from being wasted and you are saving yourself money.

Have restraint when it comes to buying products made from plastic, paper, cardboard, etc., but buy more eco-friendly items in bulk. In my last post, I discuss the peculiar behavior we all do, which is Christmas shopping for people we don’t really know and who don’t really need a present from us. Anyway, if you must get something, opt for something subtle. For example, have a tree planted in their name or donate money to their favorite organization or charity. If they love animals, you can adopt an animal in their name. All of these ideas are eco-friendly and they are more meaningful than a candle, card and bath products.

Christmas can easily be turned into a time of greed, which is the opposite of what it’s supposed to be about. I think all of us at times (including me) get caught up in the shopping, gift giving and gift receiving. However, why do some of us feel that we are rightfully due a gift? We should feel grateful if we receive one thing during the holiday. Times are tough this year, and as you get older and more mature, you might come to your senses and realize that you don’t need those extra pots and pans or knick-knacks for the house.

I’m sure you have probably been in a situation where you feel pressured to buy a gift for someone you don’t really know. Maybe someone in a nearby office or someone you see on occasion. I really don’t enjoy being pressured to give Christmas presents to people I don’t really know…I’m all about giving but when you buy something because you think you have to, it’s just a waste of time and materials. Yes, give to those in need and to the ones who are dear to your heart but why worry about what the secretary in the other office is going to think of you if you don’t get him/her a gift? In other words, why go overboard when it’s not necessary?

To a vegetarian or vegan, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner can be one of the most uncomfortable experiences. It’s particularly uncomfortable if you are meeting your significant other’s family for the first time. People might question your reasons for not eating meat and some might be offended. In my experience, I have had people become upset while others have seemed genuinely interested in my decision. Regardless of how people react to your lifestyle, it’s best to remain calm and avoid preaching. This is supposed to be a relaxing time for people to get together, so I usually don’t draw attention to my eating habits unless someone else brings it up. This doesn’t mean I’m not proud of being a vegetarian, but there’s a time and a place to argue and Thanksgiving dinner is just not the time. However, more often than not, I find that people want to know more about my choice, and it’s always a good feeling when you can enlighten others.

If you are one of those people who like to get your tree up right after Thanksgiving, here are some tips to help you have an eco-friendly Christmas tree.

• Use LED lights instead of the traditional ones, because they are more efficient.
• Reuse ornaments from last year’s Christmas tree.
• Bake cookies and turn them into tree ornaments.
• Buy a real tree instead of a plastic one. Artificial trees are usually not made from biodegradable material.
• Put lights on a timer so you don’t waste electricity all day and night long.
• Avoid buying any new ornaments or decorations for your tree.

A great way for you to get involved, if you live in the L.A. area, is to attend the first annual EcoStiletto Green Girl’s Night Out. This event will be held Tuesday, Nov. 11 from 7 pm to 10 pm at Intuition (10581 West Pico Boulevard in L.A.). Bring clothing and accessories that you would like to donate to Dress for Success. Perfect Organics will be giving free lip and cheek touch ups, and there will be appetizers by FOOD. Because this event is free and open to the public, it’s important to RSVP so you don’t loose a seat. If you are planning on attending, contact events@ecostiletto.com and provide your email address.