People lie in each other’s arms, hold hands and occasionally give each other a kiss. Love is still in the air in 2024 and Valentine’s Day is not long in coming to celebrate it. On February 14, thousands of couples and families come together to celebrate their togetherness. Gifts are a must!
Despite the beautiful thought, we believe that the protection of our environment must not be neglected. That’s why we thought we’d give you a few suggestions on how you can make your loved ones happy with regional and sustainable gifts.
Fresh cut flowers
When it comes to sustainability and regionality, caution is advised with cut flowers. The long transportation route, cultivation in heated greenhouses, heavy use of pesticides and high water consumption are just some of the reasons why the sale of cut flowers is difficult for the environment. In addition, working conditions are often inadequate, as cultivation often involves low wages, long working hours and child labor. Here are some tips for more sustainable ways to give flowers:
- Organic cultivation: If you opt for organic cultivation, you can be sure that no pesticides have been used and attention has been paid to water consumption. Seals such as Demeter and Bioland indicate that the flowers are definitely organic.
- Fairtrade: The Fairtrade seal and the “Flower Label Program” seal indicate that fair and appropriate working conditions were taken into account during cultivation.
Avoid waste: Avoid bouquets wrapped in plastic and opt for those wrapped in paper instead.
- Buy regional and seasonal: If you make sure that the flowers you buy are from Austria and are grown seasonally, you save your plants a long transportation route and thus reduce CO2 pollution. In addition, seasonality means that there is no need for heated greenhouses. You can find out the origin yourself in the flower stores or simply go shopping at local weekly markets.
- Pick your own: Picking a bouquet yourself is a good alternative to buying. There are now special fields for picking flowers in many places in Austria.
Chocolate
For us at pro local, the focus is on regionality. In German-speaking countries, however, it is not possible to source cocoa sustainably and regionally. Nevertheless, chocolate and pralines are among the most popular gifts on Valentine’s Day. We have therefore given some thought to what we can do to ensure that our chocolate purchases are as sustainable and climate-friendly as possible:
- Go shopping in organic and natural food stores: Visit stores in your area that focus on organic and natural foods. They often have a selection of organic and fair trade chocolate brands. By making a purchase, you ensure that the production process is as environmentally friendly as possible and takes place under appropriate working conditions. An example of a brand whose production is considered both fair and organic is Zotter chocolate.
- Visit local market and farm stores: Take some time to browse local markets. You will often find chocolate that has been produced by regional producers.
- Minimize packaging: Look for chocolate products with minimal and eco-friendly packaging. Some stores also offer the option of buying chocolate in bulk by taking your own container with you.
- Homemade chocolate: You could also consider giving homemade chocolate as a gift. This allows you to consciously choose the ingredients, use local food, such as locally produced honey, and control the amount of packaging.
Jewelry
By giving the gift of locally and sustainably produced jewelry, you can put a smile on the face of your loved ones and support local craftsmanship at the same time. We want to share with you a few ways in which you can pay attention to sustainability and regionality when giving gifts.
- Local jewelers and goldsmiths: Visit local jewelers and goldsmiths who make their products locally. These artisans often offer individual and handmade pieces of jewelry that have been produced locally.
- Sustainable jewelry boutiques: There are several boutiques in Austria that specialize in sustainable jewelry. Find out about stores in your area that stock eco-friendly jewelry collections.
- Online platforms for sustainable jewelry: There are now a large number of online platforms that focus on sustainable jewelry. One example would be FENA. This brand testifies that their gemstones are sustainably mined and their jewelry is sustainably manufactured. They also use environmentally friendly packaging. But there are also many other brands that care about sustainability. You can simply browse online and find the store of your taste.
- Vintage and second-hand stores: There are many vintage and second-hand stores in Austria that offer unique pieces of jewelry. Browse the store of your choice and find one or two beautiful vintage pieces.
- Upcycling jewelry designers: Discover local jewelry designers who rely on upcycling, i.e. the transformation of waste or useless materials into new products, and the use of sustainable materials. These designers often use recycled precious metals and stones.
DIY gifts
The journey is the reward: homemade Valentine’s Day gifts that are based on sustainability and regionality can be a loving and environmentally friendly gesture. Below you will find our DIY ideas for your perfect gift.
- Homemade jam or chutney: You can easily make your own jam or chutney from local fruit. Use seasonal ingredients and fill them into reusable jars.
- Voucher for sustainable activities: Create vouchers for joint activities that are sustainable and regional, such as a bike tour to local sights, a picnic with regional products or a joint visit to the farmers’ market.
- Homemade herbal oils or spice blends: You can find instructions on the internet on how to make your own herbal oils and spice blends. However, you should make sure that you use fresh herbs, for example from your own garden or bought at a regional farmers’ market.
- Hand-knitted or crocheted accessories: If you are a bit crafty and want to make your loved ones happy, you can knit or crochet scarves, hats or socks yourself from sustainable and natural materials.
- The good old love letter: Who wouldn’t love a handwritten love letter? This gift is and remains a classic. All you need is a sheet of paper and a pen and you can give free rein to your feelings and try to put them into words.
To summarize: Foregoing consumption and creating/gifting shared memories is probably the most sustainable decision in the end. But whatever gift you choose, your loved one will definitely be happy.
We wish you a happy Valentine’s Day!