Wheaton Park District Green Pages • Green Tips

Green Tips: February 2012

Another holiday approaches...you know what that means, more stuff.
It's no secret, holidays have a huge impact on the environment, and Valentine's Day is no exception. Read on for eco facts and some tips to show you care/like/love while being green.

Some Valentine's Day consumption facts from GreenLivingTips.com:

• Around a billion valentines are sent each year globally, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas
  
  
• 25% of seasonal cards annually are valentines
  
  
• Over 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold each year
  
  
• Valentine’s Day is the top holiday for fresh flower purchases with red roses being most popular

Ideas for Making Your Valentine's Day Green:

1. Make your own cards from old cards and scrap papers, or purchase cards made from 100% recycled paper or green materials.
   
   
2. Make your gift! Ideas for crafting a heartwarming gift can be found at the following sites:
• Pinterest.com
  THE most popular DIY site -- ever.
• Disney's Family Fun Site
  Crafts for your children's classmates
• Better Homes and Gardens
  
  
3. Earth Lover offers Eco and Fair Trade Shopping, and they currently feature a Valentine's Day shop at http://www.earthlovershopping.com/gifts/valentine that sells jewelry, chocolates and more!
   
   
4. Etsy.com has a wonderful selection of eco friendly Valentine gifts for men and women. Some of our favorite collections on their site include:
• Eco Friendly Valentine Gifts
• Upcycled/Recycled Items
  
  
5. In honor of a loved one, purchase a membership or make a donation with a charitabl/non-profit organization, such as:
• Heifer Project International (because self-reliance is one of the best gifts you can give)
• Morton Arboretum
• The Nature Conservancy
• Cosley Zoo - not that we're partial ;-)

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View the Wheaton Park District's Environmental Policy »