Love is in the Air

Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love, not just for your significant other but for friends and family as well. And while Valentine’s Day isn’t exactly the most environmentally friendly of holidays, fortunately, the market for green products is expanding every day, so you’re not short of any quality products. So, this year, consider loving mother nature as well! Take care of the atmosphere by incorporating small habits to improve air quality.

Here are some tips to help you plan a greener Valentine’s Day:

Cook a home-made meal. Do you plan on hosting a Valentine’s Day dinner for your loved ones? Consider cooking up a home-made meal using ingredients from your local farmers market. By shopping locally, you will reduce the amount of emissions that would normally be used to transport produce to major grocery store chains. Cooking from home also saves you the insane costs of marked-up meals at restaurants during the holiday. Click here for ideas that you can cook up for the occasion.

Carpool or take public transportation. Heading out to some place special? Try to catch a carpool with friends or family who are going the same way or see if there is public transportation available near your destination. Transportation makes up about 30% of carbon emissions alone. So, before you start your car, try to look for alternative methods of commuting. Our Try Parking It program has a rideshare feature that allows you to carpool with others who are going in the same direction. Also, look for some local events that your community might be hosting during Valentine’s Day. That way, long distance travel will not be an issue while celebrating the holiday.

Avoid shopping online. Looking for the perfect gift for that certain someone? Consider shopping ahead of time to avoid having to shop online. Harmful emissions are being released everyday due to the popularity of free two-day shipping most websites offer. Remember, it’s the thought that counts when trying to decide on the perfect gift. This year consider DIYing your gift. A homemade gift is more thoughtful and shows that you put in a lot of time and effort to create it. Check out some neat Valentine’s Day gifts here.

Valentine’s Day is about spending the day with loved ones and showing your gratitude of having them by your side. But this year, show some love and gratitude for our atmosphere that helps keep us safe from harmful UV rays and other pollutants. By incorporating these tips and tricks into your Valentine’s Day plans, it will help improve air quality in the region.