Monday, February 13, 2012

14 Days of Green Valentines

Gift Idea #14
Don't Have a Valentine? Find Your Future Mate Today! 
If you are dreading Valentine's Day because you don't have a valentine, then meet your future mate today!  If you care about the earth, the environment, animal rights and healthy living, GreenSingles is a great way to meet someone who shares your similar beliefs and values.  

Full disclosure: I met my Love through GreenSingles.  What we both enjoyed about the site is that you can communicate with prospective dates with the same technology and options you would on the mega dating sites.  The difference is that while your selection of singles is more narrow, the people who are listed hold the same beliefs and lead the same type of lifestyle you lead which really saves you time and energy when searching for a mate!  

Cost
Free to register, free to search, free to contact. 

There are a variety of memberships.  Free memberships allow you to place your profile and post 7 photos, view ads and enable other members to contact you.  You can also let other members know you are interested in them by sending them smiles.  You cannot send personal messages unless you have a Full or Credit membership.  Those vary in price from a low of $24 for 3 months or a high of $72 for 24 months for a Full membership or $30 to $75 for a Credit membership.  

So don't mope on Valentine's Day.  Meet your new mate!  

Sunday, February 12, 2012

14 Days of Green Valentines


Gift Idea #13
Treats for the Bedroom
Treat your mate to a variety of love products including body candy, lubricant and oil from Good Clean Love.

$30 (normally $55) includes:
  • Spicy Orange Body Candy
  • Love That Works book by Wendy Strgar, the founder of Good Clean Love
  • Lubricant (available in lavender rose or cinnamon vanilla)
  • Indian Spice Love Oil
Good Clean Love is a certified Green America Green Company (just like lori hill event productions!) and sells only the finest all natural and organic green products for your health and sexual enhancement.  ALL of their love products are free of petrochemicals and parabens, both of which have been identified as potentially carcinogenic and identified in breast cancer tissues.  The company works to educate women, physicians and retails stores about the importance of clean and healthy ingredients in love products.    

Saturday, February 11, 2012

14 Days of Green Valentines

Gift Idea #12 

Mexican Eco Getaway

Playa Viva Sustainable Boutique Hotel, located in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, not only has eco-friendly features, but a great deal on a 7-night getaway that is good for just 9 more days! 

$1,195 (valued at $2,000) – available on Green Deals for 9 more days. 

-      Choose from 7 nights during low season or 5 nights during high season
-     
        Good for 2 rooms types
o   Deluxe Suite (2 adults and 2 kids) or EcoCasita (2 adults only)

Price includes:
  • Airport ground transportation to and from hotel (just 30 minutes from Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa International Airport)
  • All meals, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages
  • Yoga every day except Sunday
  • Wi-Fi in common area and in some guest rooms (but don’t you want to unplug anyway?)
Other features:
  • 200 acre resort with pristine beaches
  • Organic food
  • Turtle sanctuary
  • Activities such as surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, spear fishing, kayaking, horseback riding and other excursions
And for you die-hard greenies, you’ll love these other features: 

-          100% off-the-grid solar energy
-          On-site grey and black water treatment
-          Construction materials use locally sustainable woods, hand hewn faucets from nearby towns
-          Handmade wood blankets and organic towels and sheets

 

Friday, February 10, 2012

14 Days of Green Valentines

Gift Idea #11
Dine Green
I know, I KNOW!  Going out for dinner on Valentine's Day is SO unoriginal.  But how about taking your Love to an eco-friendly restaurant that serves organic, vegan and/or vegetarian food?  Imagine that?!  How do you find one of these Earth-friendly eating places?  The Green Restaurant Association can yelp you out.  It is a national non-profit organization that provides a convenient and cost-effective way for restaurants, manufacturers, distributors and consumer to become more environmentally responsible.  They help a restaurant operate more sustainably and then provide them with a rating.  The general public benefits because GRA provides a database of green restaurants in your area.  It also lists caterers in your area that have been certified by the association which might come in handy in case your Valentine's dinner turns into an engagement of the long term type!  You can then turn to this site when planning your nuptials and find yourself a green caterer! 

Another useful vegetarian guide is Happy Cow which is a service to help travelers and people everywhere to find vegetarian, vegan and healthy food choices.  No matter where you live in the world, you can browse their global resource directory to find a vegan and/or vegetarian restaurant near you!  I'm heading to the Caribbean next month and found 124 listings! 

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

14 Days of Green Valentines


 
Gift Idea #10
Enjoy a Night -- or More -- of Robe-Mance
Treat yourself and your sweetheart to a night alone at a luxurious -- and eco-friendly -- hotel. Now through February 29th, all Kimpton Hotels are giving away their leopard and zebra-print robes when you book their special robe-mance package which includes:

- deluxe accommodations at one of their participating hotels (rates start at $269/night and vary based on location and availability)
- two new signature Kimpton bathrobes ($180 value) made of 100% Turkish ring-spun cotton.  
- a $25 dining and beverage credit to use for a nightcap at their adjacent Kimpton restaurant OR breakfast in bed 
Reservations can be made at www.KimptonHotels.com or at individual hotel Websites by entering "ROBES" in the rate box or by calling 1-800-KIMPTON and requesting the Robe-mance package.   

Kimpton is my favorite hotel line.  They lead the hospitality industry in ecological practices through their innovative EarthCare program that spans all hotels and restaurants.  Heck, they were green long before green was popular and they truly get it! Also, they have over 100 hotels and restaurants, so check one out in your area or the next time you are traveling. 


 

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

14 Days of Green Valentines

Gift Idea #9
Fair Trade Foods Gift Sampler
 
I'm always game for gifts of food, and this one is great because all the items are organic and fair trade!  This gift idea is perfect for your Love OR you can send one -- or ten - to your favorite clients or colleagues to let them know how much you appreciate them.  Gift sampler includes:    
  • One 1 lb. bag of organic Peace Coffee
  • Two 3.5 oz. organic chocolate bars
  • One box of organic tea
  • One 12 oz. can of organic hot cocoa
  • Equal Exchange brochure on fair trade products
  • Customized "from and to" card on recycled paper
$39.95 at GreenLine Paper Company.  Basket not included. 

Shipping included to anywhere in the continental United States (UPS ground).  Please allow one week for delivery from time of order if West Coast destination.  Rush shipping available for extra charge.  

Special Offer for New Customers
GreenLine Paper Company is an awesome source for office supplies (full disclosure:  I use them all the time!). Help them celebrate their 20-year anniversary in 2012with a partnership in living green.  If you are not already a GreenLine customer, give them a try and receive $5 off your $50 minimum order during the months of February and March.  Or you may request a FREE Sample Pack of recycled paper products just by giving them a call at 800.641.1117.  New customers use promo code EMAG2OY on your internet or phone order to receive your discount.




Monday, February 6, 2012

14 Days of Green Valentines

Gift Idea #8
Bamboo and Organic Cotton Bathrobes
Bamboo and organic feel so good, so your valentine will appreciate a bathrobe made of one of these luxurious fabrics.  And they are Earth friendly, too!  
 
Available via The Ultimate Green Store, prices range from $60 to $176.  Free shipping for orders over $50.
 
Why are these products Earth friendly?  Bamboo is like a weed -- it grows and spreads quickly.  In some cases, it can grow 3 or 4 feet per day without the need for fertilizers, pesticides or much water.  Organic cotton contains no toxins or synthetic fertilizers and is produced without the use of harsh chemical bleaches or dyes, and is allergy free. Also, organic cotton tends to use less water and with organic farming, soil is rotated, which is much better on the environment.  Conversely, traditional cotton is hard on the environment because it is the most pesticide dependent crop in the world.  According to eartheasy,every t-shirt made of conventional cotton requires 1/4 pound of harmful chemicals!  According to the USDA, in one year alone over 50 million pounds of pesticides were used on U.S. cotton fields.

Friday, February 3, 2012

14 Days of Green Valentines

Gift Idea #7
Valentine's Cards and Fair Trade Chocolate
From Equal Exchange, the people who bring you high-quality organic coffees, teas, chocolates, bananas and snacks from all over the world, the My Fair Valentine Cards & Candy set includes fairly traded organic dark chocolate minis and colorful cards with illustrated animals and cute messages.  For kids, or an adult who is a kid-at-heart, each set comes with a fun and informative bookmark exploring where fairly traded chocolate comes from.  

Each box includes:
  • 24 Valentine’s Day Cards
  • 24 fairly traded organic Dark Chocolate Minis (55%) 
You get to support a good company AND educate others about fair trade chocolate.

Normally, $9.99, special Valentine's Day price $7.99.  

Thursday, February 2, 2012

14 Days of Green Valentines



Gift Idea #6
Boudoir Photos
Ladies, have you ever tried to take a sexy photo of yourself to give your valentine, but failed miserably?  Leave it to the experts to come to your rescue.  Café Boudoir (formerly balance boudoir) can make you look magazine gorgeous from head to toe with sultry, classic images that you can give your Love as a special gift on your anniversary, wedding night or other special occasion. 
The all-female team includes photographer Rissa Miller of balance photography and hair and make-up artists from Up Do’s for I Do’s led by Ashley Riddle.  The make-up used will give you the best possible image in front of the camera so you can relax and have fun! 
You can choose from a variety of packages which include 1 or 2 looks, 20 to 40 final images and either an 8 x 10 photo, a 12-image calendar made of recycled paper, or a vegan folio which is leather-free.  Upgrade options include a book that is made with 100% recycled paper with soy ink and a la carte prints made with soy ink on recycled cotton rag paper. 
Standard delivery time after your photo shoot is 2 weeks, so while you may not be able to give this gift in time for Valentine’s Day, you can always treat your Love to a little gift now (perhaps  a sultry poem or even a lacy garter wrapped in a gift box) as a hint of things to come.



 

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

14 Days of Green Valentines

Gift Idea #5
Local Flowers (and we ain't talkin' roses!)
The other day, I was talking to my friend Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers in Baltimore.  As a florist, she loves Valentine’s Day, but believe it or not, she doesn’t advocate buying roses on Valentine’s Day.  Is she crazy??!!!  Not so much.  For those of you living in a Mid-Atlantic state like me, you should know that roses aren’t grown in our area and have to be shipped in from distant locales (which is not so good is you are trying to minimize CO2 emissions!). 

So what to use instead?  Locally grown tulips!  According to Ellen, they come in beautiful shades of red, pink and white and say, “I love you!  I care about the environment!  I support local growers and communities!”

Local Color Flowers will deliver to the Annapolis-Baltimore-Washington, DC area.  If you are outside this area, but want to support farms in your area, find a local grower near you.