Sustainable Gift Guide With 15 Activities and Ideas for Valentine’s Day 2023

Person holding heart shaped cutout surrounded by rose petals on grass

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Our Valentine’s Day Sustainable Gift Guide 2023 includes 15 ideas to take back this holiday of love with adventures, gifts, or stay at home activities.

Estimated Read Time: 7 minutes

Is Valentine’s Day a totally capitalist holiday that feels absolutely useless? Yes.

Does that mean you shouldn’t take that opportunity to treat yourself and maybe even your loved ones? No.

The history of Valentine’s Day dates back centuries, but in 2023 it’s feeling a little forced, a little tired, and a little commercial. But February 14 isn’t going anywhere and neither is Valentine’s Day so let’s take the day back and change how we think about it!

Celebrating Valentine’s Day in 2023

The meaning of Valentine’s Day has changed throughout history. First, it was a religious celebration, then a romantic one, and finally a commercial holiday.

But one thing that has remained consistent throughout the centuries is the celebration of love. And love is what we’ll be celebrating this Valentine’s Day!

Love for yourself
Love for the planet
Romantic love
Platonic love
Love for you pet
And any other kind of love you want!

Whether you want to purchase extravagant gifts for yourself (or others), have an easy night inside, or go on an adventure, we’ve got you covered.

Read on for 15 Sustainable Ideas to Celebrate Valentine’s Day in 2023

5 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day Without Leaving the House

three women posing for a photo with woman in the center holding up cutout heart glasses

Photo by Adrienn From Pexels

1. Cook Dinner at Home

It doesn’t have to be overly romantic but if you’re not normally the dinner cooker in yoru household, the other person would appreciate a night off. If it’s just you, treat yourself to a nice, homemade meal! Put in all the seasonings, add the garnishes, use the fancy plates and silverware, and treat yourself to a fancy beverage.

2. Make a Spa Night (With What You Have)

Using what you have is the most sustainable act you can take. Whether it’s for yourself, a loved one, or friends, put together a spa night to simply relax, unwind and be pampered. Take a long bath, put on all the lotions and creams, play your favorite songs or movies, do some breathing exercises, whatever makes you feel good!

3. Invite Over Loved Ones and Spend an Evening in Pleasant Company

In our busy lives, spending time with the ones we love can often get pushed to the back burner. This Valentine’s Day, invite over friends and family you haven’t seen in a while or want to be around more. Have a potluck, BYOB/F, watch movies, enjoy simply existing with the people you love. If the ones you love can’t be in person, schedule a time to talk on the phone or on a video call.

4. Make a Movie Fort

Perfect for the whole family or just yourself. We get so caught up in being adults and having everything in it’s place, for one night embrace your inner child and build a fort! Get as fancy or a simple as you want. Bring your computer or tablet inside to watch movies, block out the world for a little bit, and create your own private getaway in the comfort of your home.

5. Plan for Future Date Nights/Treat Yourself Nights

Have you ever wanted to go out with your partner, or friends, or do something for yourself but you can’t think of anything in the moment? Take some time this Valentine’s Day to come up with fun date ideas you’d like to do together in the future or places/things you’d love to treat yourself with. Make a list on your phone, write them on popsicle sticks and color coordinate them, write them on a piece of scrap paper, and put them in a jar, whatever you want to do, have fun planning future activities!

5 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day With an Adventure

man in colorful polo shirt serving woman in white a plate of food outside of a camper van

Photo by Indie Campers Sverige from Pexels

1. Go On (Or Plan) A Hike

Depending on the weather and your geographic location, you may or may not be able to easily go on a hike for Valentine’s Day. If you can, go outside, be with nature, take all your reusable products, and leave nothing but good vibes behind. If you can’t go now, plan a hike for the future, and make sure to grab any reusables you need from ZeroWasteStore.

2. Have a Picnic

Grab all your sustainable essentials, make some snacks, and head out into the wilderness (or the park) and have a picnic! If the weather permits of course. Meet up with some friends, or a partner, or go solo, turn off your phone, and enjoy your time in nature. Think about how everything you’re eating comes from the earth you’re sitting on.

3. Hit Up a Yoga Class

There are so many different types of yoga to fit whatever mood or energy level you’re at! Try a class you haven’t tried before, invite your partner or friends if you want, or if you prefer it to be a solo self-care experience, we get it. After your done twisting, bending, and aligning, give your yoga mat it’s own home in a zero waste Homi Tube ($120) made durably from wood fiber pulp and 100% recycled paper.

4. Plan an Eco-Vacation

Most of us aren’t able to spontaneously plan an eco-vacation so if you can, then go for it and make your Valentine’s Day epic. For the rest of us, start planning an eco-vacation! Look up flights that allow you to carbon offset, look for eco-resorts, start planning what you’ll take to reduce your impact on another place, and look into activities run by local vendors.

5. Book a Sustainable Airbnb

You may not be able to go across the country and stay at an eco-resort and that’s okay! (most of us can’t despite what you may see on Instagram). In the meantime, Airbnb has come a long way and offers many types of vacations such as off-the-grid, Earth Homes, Treehouses, and even Yurts! If you’re able to book something in your area, take the evening (or weekend) off and have a sustainable adventure for a few days.

5 Sustainable Valentine's Gift Ideas

ZeroWasteStore sustainable shaving mini kit, which includes a safety razor, extra blades, and refillable shaving soap

1. Circular Valentine’s Day Gifts

A circular product means that the resources used to make a product can either break down to nourish the earth or be reyccled into new products at the end of it’s life. For yourself or a loved one who care’s about the circular economy, we recommend this solid, everyday face oil ($25) that gives all the love to your skin.

2. Plastic-Free Valentine’s Day Gifts

It can sometimes feel almost impossible to find products without plastic these days, but that’s why we’re here! You (or a loved one) who is passionate about reducing your plastic usage will absolutely love this zero waste shave kit ($45). A stainless steel safety razor, 50 blade replacements, and an organic shave bar will change the way you shave forever.

3. Vegan Valentine’s Day Gifts

Everyone’s skin could use a little more love and what’s better than a completely zero waste, vegan, lotion bar? We certainly can’t think of anything! Made from just 4 ingredients, this lotion bar from Linear Beauty (a black-owned brand, $20) has all the nourishing properties your skin needs to feel healthy with the natural smell of sweet chocolate. Perfect for everyday or an emergency touchup.

4. Organic Valentine’s Day Gifts

Everyone loves to smell good but all the chemicals in typical perfume are enough to make one stop. Help yourself or a loved one find their signature scent with these non-toxic, cruelty-free, safe for everyone, organic fragrances from ESAS ($34). Choose from Bergamont Beach or Jasmine Beach (awarded the best new fragrance of 2021).

5. Compostable Valentine’s Day Gifts

How many chaptsticks do you have on hand right now? Too many becuase you always lose them? We get it, and so does Blue Heron Botanicals! Tired of plastic tubes that get lost before they get finished, they created completely compostable hydrating lip balms ($8) from hand-grown ingredients and a paper push tube. Your eco-guilt can be assuaged knowing the entire balm is biodegradable and if you manage to keep it until it’s finished, the tube is completely compostable!

However you feel about February 14 and this sustainable gift guide, let’s all enjoy the day by loving ourselves, loving our friends, loving our family, and loving everything we have just a little bit more. A little longer of a hug, a little longer phone call, a little longer hand holding, and take a little bit longer to appreciate and enjoy everything the earth gave us.

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Written by Lauren Plug, content creator for ZeroWasteStore & Sustainability Enthusiast!