Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Green Valentine's Day Tips
Of all crops, cocoa demands the second highest use of pesticides (first place goes to cotton). But toxicity isn?t a requirement. In fact, the sweet stuff tastes better when producers honor USDA organic standards, which prohibit the use of harmful chemicals. This benefits our bodies and the earth, by preventing all those poisons from getting into the soil, water, and air. Not sure which organic chocolate to choose for your sweetheart? Check out our picks here.
Tip #2: Give Pesticide-Free Flowers
Almost 200 million roses are produced for Valentine's Day ? and that?s just roses. To give flowers mindfully this Sunday, choose an organic bouquet. Non-organic flowers can contain 50 times more pesticides than is legal to have on food. Buying local is a good idea too, since 80 percent of flowers sold in the U.S. are imported from Colombia and Ecuador on refrigerated airplanes. Better to give home-grown blooms, to buy what?s in season from the farmers? market, or to give a potted plant, which lasts much longer.
Tip #3: Give Experiences, Not Things
If you give your Valentine a tchotchke or doodad, consider how soon it may end up in a landfill. Instead, you can plan a hike and a picnic in your mutually favorite nature spot. Other memorable small-footprint ideas include a day at an organic spa, a gift certificate to a vegetarian restaurant, a cooking or dancing class, tickets to a nearby concert or play, a subscription to a local CSA, or a digital playlist. You can even adopt a national park in your sweetheart?s name. If you do choose to give an object, check out Sierra magazine?s guide to green Valentine?s gifts.
Tip #4: Give Green Greetings
More than 180 million cards are exchanged on Valentine?s Day. Since paper is made of trees, and paper mills use immense amounts of water and emit tons of chemicals, imagine the impact it would make if all those cards were recycled or electronic. Even recycled cards, though, end up in the landfill, where they emit methane as they decompose. One alternative is to make a card out of old magazines and wall calendars. Another is to give a card made of plantable seed paper; bury it and when the paper biodegrades, the seeds grow into wildflowers.
Re: Green Valentine's Day Tips
Love those two ideas. Would be thrilled to receive either.
Does the Bacon Bar count?? Because I totally bought it for DH.
Vosages, the company that makes it, is on a "Green Mission"!
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