How to gift sustainably this Valentine's Day

As it is Valentine's day on Monday we thought we would look at some sustainable gift ideas for those doing some last minute shopping this weekend.

Whether it is for your other half, friends or yourself, Valentine's treats do not have to cost the earth.

Flowers

Red roses are the traditional choice for Valentine's day, but, due to Britain's climate, the vast majority of roses sold in this country during the early months of the year are imported.

Some are imported from Kenya where it is warm enough for them to grow naturally, but some are imported from the Netherlands, where they are grown artificially.

Approximately 570 tonnes are imported by Heathrow alone during February, which is:

• about three times as many as any other month;
• a carbon footprint of around 30kg of CO2 for a mixed bouquet of 11 Kenyan and Dutch stems;
• often sold at a loss, in the hope customers will buy other, more expensive items as they shop.

Instead of red roses there are other options to keep your Valentines bouquets more sustainable:

• shop in local florists;
• ask for a seasonal bouquet;
• get a dried/artificial flowers bouquet, which can be displayed all year round; or
• opt for a house plant, such as a succulent, which absorbs CO2 and can be kept for years.

Chocolates

Another common treat for Valentines is chocolates and sweets, which is considered a fool proof present. Except most commercial chocolates come in single-use plastic containers.

In an average box of chocolates, there will be a mix of recyclable and non-recyclable parts, which must be separated to recycle. Recycle Now advise that all cardboard boxes and lining paper are recyclable, while the outer film is not. Clear plastic inner trays can be recycled, whereas black plastic trays cannot.

An alternative to shop bought chocolates or sweets could be to make your own chocolates, sweets or baked goods. Not only has more thought gone into them, but they are better for the planet.

There are also ethical and sustainable chocolatiers and patisseries out there. Do a bit of research to see if there is any local to you, or if you purchase online, that you can carbon offset the delivery.

Also when shopping for chocolates, look out for the Fair Trade logo to make sure they are ethically sourced.

Cards

Approximately 1 billion Valentine's day cards are sent each year, with most in the bin by the end of the week.

A lot of these cards come in single-use plastic wraps and plastic protective sheets, and may contain glitter or decorations that mean that the cards cannot be recycled.

So when looking for a Valentines card look out for:

• cards using recycled paper;
• glitter-free cards;
• local independent businesses; or
• if shopping online, independent businesses who carbon offset their delivery.

You could also always keep and frame your cards, to prevent waste, or at least make sure you recycle them. A good tip is that if you scrunch your card up and it does not bounce back, then it can be recycled.

Alternative presents

Instead of purchasing something that will only last a few days, try to buy more durable presents, such as a:

• plant;
• mug or piece of pottery;
• piece of art; or
• ethically responsible piece of jewellery.

You could also look at gifts that are not physical, such as tickets to an event like a pottery class, concert or a meal.