Last week was a great occasion to explore green tips for Valentine’s day. My husband and I tried out some ways to grow greener as a couple. In general, how can I be more eco-friendly as a wife and lover?
I started the week by being a little spontaneous:
1. Green date: candlelight vegetarian dinner
Harmony mentions dimming the lights in their suggestions for 10 Ways To Reduce Waste and Have a Green Valentine’s Day. Candlelight dinner is also on the list for Katherine Martinko in her blog for Treehugger about green tips for Valentine’s Day. Inspired by the idea, I asked our nanny to take the kids one night. Instead of going to eat at a restaurant as usual during our regular date nights, I prepared this table for my husband:
We had a great pasta bolognaise together, made with soya!
2. Green Valentine’s Day gifts
Another area that I changed was finding an eco-friendly gift for my husband. As discussed in my blog post on greener Christmas, we had both already made eco-friendly gifts for each other for Christmas. I decided to buy my husband a nice pullover, and I wanted it to be eco-friendly. After some research, I chose this pullover below from a brand called Hopaal.
I also loved how it was delivered: a little carton box, so very little packaging, and a handwritten note thanking us for the purchase!
My husband asked me this year what I would like, and since I was in the mood for new clothes and needed new jeans, I said I would like to have eco-friendly jeans. He found this great company in France called 1083, and I received these beautiful trousers I am very happy with, presented on the photo below from their website:
3. Recycling Valentine’s Day flowers
This green tip for Valentine’s Day also came from the Harmony blog post. This blog article incorporates a video giving ideas about how to recycle flowers you receive. I decided to go for drying some flowers. I will use these to make cards and gift tags, and to make art with my boys.
4. Eco-friendly Valentine’s Day lunch date at a vegetarian restaurant
On February 14th, I asked my husband to block off his lunch break for us, because I wanted to plan a surprise for him! To go to Geneva to meet my husband, I used P&R, something I talk more about in my article on greener commutes. I had chosen a little cosy vegetarian restaurant, called Café Mutin, for our romantic lunch.
It was a great experience! We both loved our meals. I ordered the plate below
… and my husband decided to try out this burger that he adored:
Both me and my husband also liked the service and the atmosphere, and would love to go back!
5. Trying out some eco-friendly date ideas
Walking, biking, hiking, having a picnic, or volunteering together—the list of possible eco-friendly activities to do together is long. I realised that my husband and I had fallen into a kind of routine with our dates. We mostly go to a restaurant or sometimes to a cultural event, like a concert. Last week we just managed to go for a walk together, but with spring approaching, I would like to invite my husband to go on a hiking date together and bring a picnic.
6. Making eco-friendly lunches for my husband
I had already started doing this during my husband’s previous job. We have also been cooking mainly organic, vegetarian, and local food since our eco-friendly grocery shopping week. Yet lately I have not been very proactive or consistent with offering to prepare lunches for my husband. I decided to change that, including on the days where he works from home. Last week I had already a chance to restart with that.
7. Looking for green clothes providers for my husband
To help my busy husband, I also spent some time online looking for eco-friendly options that I could suggest for him next time he needs something. For instance, I sent him link to a brand called Au Juste that also makes beautiful clothes in France from recycled materials. If my husband decides to buy sustainable clothes, it is his decision. Yet at least I feel that I have done all I could in this matter.
Certainly, there is much more that one can do to be greener together. For instance, Harmony also mentions offering homemade sweets, potted plants, sending e-cards or making cards yourself. Katherine Martinko has many suggestions about greener ways for setting the mood and for the bedroom.
Although Valentine’s day was a great occasion to move towards being “greener” as a wife, the idea is to go beyond this day and try to live together day-by-day in a more mindfully sustainable way.
I used to tell my husband that I love growing old with him. Now I feel that I love growing old and green together with him! 
I really love this one! AM enjoying your blog very much!
Thank you Tanio!
I went to a second hand shop in Geneva, called Hazard, and found very nice jumpers and even my elder daughter found a coat and a little jacket. My husband found everything great and is now looking for a second hand shop for men’s cloths. This is not so easy to find. There are far more items for women. Last sommer during our vacation we spent at home, we did a lot of cycling in Geneva together. That was a fun new experience, far more romantic then going for diner by car. We’ve already tried most of the vegan restaurants in Geneva and have had quite good surprises. My husband is very open to all the green changes I’ve made so far but he still eats meat and fish. Since we’ve agreed to eat vegan, on very few occasions vegetarian when at home, he still goes once in a while when we eat out, for a meat dish. It’s important to remain tolerant to his food desires.
Thank you Maya for your comment and suggestions! I will check out this second hand shop called Hazard. I agree with you that as a woman, we have more possibilities to find great second hand clothes. Where, for instance, I could find a good fashionable second hand suit that my husband could wear at work? And please suggest some other good vegetarian restaurants – I would love to discover! Thanks!