TODAY’S GREEN MANTRA: Getting gifts made with Love and positive intention expresses my Love and positive intention ten fold.
Day 30 / 365
We live in a world which awards our indulgences and gives us more than ample opportunity to gift give throughout the year. Americans will spend $18.9 billion on Valentine’s day alone, and the majority of that spending will be focused on products which harm people, plants, animals, and our planet (flowers, chocolates, diamonds ect…).
There is definately a conversation to be had on gift giving cessation, Hannah from Sotela’s Zero Waste Valentine’s Day post on and Elizabeth from The Note Passer’s 50 Valentine’s Day Experience Gifts That Will Make You Happier story both have great ideas on the positives of being purchase free, but for this post, as we work towards steering ourselves towards positive purchases, I’d like for us to consider whether investing in gifts for loved ones (which have been made with gluttonous greed instead of Love) thoroughly exemplifies your emotions and commitments to your loved one or not.
This year I’m not buying my partner a gift, instead, I’ve secretly upcycled something he already had, but if I were to purchase him a product to show him how much I adore him, these would be the top things I would consider, as each one is made with the same positive intentions and Love I’d be hoping to express to him.
– Nine Eco + Ethical Valentine’s Gifts For Men –
ECO + ETHICAL HOW? This company is incredibly transparent,
allowing you to follow them right to their field lab. Each product has a
harvest number stamped on it so you can see photos of the plants and the
fragrance extraction techniques used to create the item in your hands. They obtain
their ingredients by exploring nature with their nose, sustainably wild
harvesting each of natures gifts before wildcrafting their products through 100-year-old
perfume making techniques including distillation, tincuing, infusion and
enfleurage. They produce extremely small-batch, trail-made fragrances which are
designed as aromatic snapshots, summing up their scents from that day of
exploration. On top of carefully monitoring regrowth of their wild grown
ingredients, they donate 10% of all their profits annually to a portfolio of
Western Wilderness Defence Organizations.
allowing you to follow them right to their field lab. Each product has a
harvest number stamped on it so you can see photos of the plants and the
fragrance extraction techniques used to create the item in your hands. They obtain
their ingredients by exploring nature with their nose, sustainably wild
harvesting each of natures gifts before wildcrafting their products through 100-year-old
perfume making techniques including distillation, tincuing, infusion and
enfleurage. They produce extremely small-batch, trail-made fragrances which are
designed as aromatic snapshots, summing up their scents from that day of
exploration. On top of carefully monitoring regrowth of their wild grown
ingredients, they donate 10% of all their profits annually to a portfolio of
Western Wilderness Defence Organizations.
WHERE TO BUY? https://juniperridge.com/
[TWO] SOY CANDLE by Rewined
ECO + ETHICAL HOW? Rewind
Candles takes recycled wine bottles (from Charleston, NC) and transform them into bad
ass handcrafted candles, filled with sustainable soy candle wax, and scented with the tasting notes of wine.
Not only are these candles unique in their manufacturing process, but they are aesthetically beautiful, and smell delicious. We got one of these babies for Christmas and my husfriend has hand his nose stuck it ever since.
Candles takes recycled wine bottles (from Charleston, NC) and transform them into bad
ass handcrafted candles, filled with sustainable soy candle wax, and scented with the tasting notes of wine.
Not only are these candles unique in their manufacturing process, but they are aesthetically beautiful, and smell delicious. We got one of these babies for Christmas and my husfriend has hand his nose stuck it ever since.
WHERE TO BUY? http://amzn.to/1KrGI0J
[THREE] CHOCOLATE by Raaka
ECO + ETHICAL HOW? I found out about this company when I was in Belize this past week as they get their cocoa beans via a fair trade commitment with Maya Mountain Cacao which is located in Belize.
The farmers who they purchase their beans from receive a minimum $500 above
market price per metric ton of cacao beans ensuring the bast of their creations are respectful and fair. They use thoughtful and sustainable
sources for their flavour building to ensure the building blocks which aid in their flavour are eco and ethical as well. Each bar
is Vegan, Nut-free, Soy-free, Gluten-free, Organic and Kosher and is wrapped in
paper designed by Elissa Barbieri, which is printed with soy inks on
FSC-certified 100% post consumer recycled, chlorine-free paper that was
processed with sustainable wind-generated energy. They even donate their cocoa
husk to the Edible Schoolyard NYC for their after-school gardening program
(which is used as mulch and fertilizer).
The farmers who they purchase their beans from receive a minimum $500 above
market price per metric ton of cacao beans ensuring the bast of their creations are respectful and fair. They use thoughtful and sustainable
sources for their flavour building to ensure the building blocks which aid in their flavour are eco and ethical as well. Each bar
is Vegan, Nut-free, Soy-free, Gluten-free, Organic and Kosher and is wrapped in
paper designed by Elissa Barbieri, which is printed with soy inks on
FSC-certified 100% post consumer recycled, chlorine-free paper that was
processed with sustainable wind-generated energy. They even donate their cocoa
husk to the Edible Schoolyard NYC for their after-school gardening program
(which is used as mulch and fertilizer).
WHERE TO BUY? http://amzn.to/1mfrAYM
[FOUR] BRACELET by Dharma Woods
ECO + ETHICAL HOW? I’ll always be a big fan of these
beautiful bracelets, the owner, Jorge, has worked with me to design the perfect
gift (letting me choose custom healing beads for the intended wearer) and letting me send the bracelet back to be updated with new beads once the healing has been done. This has
been, and continues to be the most heartfelt and continuously loving gift I
have ever bought or given. On top of just being an amazing human Jorge uses eco
friendly components in his designs and delivers each mala inside an organic
hemp drawstring pouch (to raise awareness about hemp’s endless applications).
He even mails the purchase in a 100% recycled paper.
beautiful bracelets, the owner, Jorge, has worked with me to design the perfect
gift (letting me choose custom healing beads for the intended wearer) and letting me send the bracelet back to be updated with new beads once the healing has been done. This has
been, and continues to be the most heartfelt and continuously loving gift I
have ever bought or given. On top of just being an amazing human Jorge uses eco
friendly components in his designs and delivers each mala inside an organic
hemp drawstring pouch (to raise awareness about hemp’s endless applications).
He even mails the purchase in a 100% recycled paper.
WHERE TO BUY? https://www.etsy.com/shop/dharmawoods
ECO + ETHICAL HOW? Who doesn’t want happy feet and a happy
hoo-haw? The Happy Socks company is committed to being part of maintaining happy people living on a happy
planet and thus are using BSCI and OEKO-TEX certified suppliers which regulats working
environment issues, including health, safety, working hours, compensation and
the prohibition of child labour. Their creations are made to Oeko-Tex 100
standards as well to ensure they’re free of hazardous chemicals. This hearty set comes in guy or gal styles for a limited time only!
hoo-haw? The Happy Socks company is committed to being part of maintaining happy people living on a happy
planet and thus are using BSCI and OEKO-TEX certified suppliers which regulats working
environment issues, including health, safety, working hours, compensation and
the prohibition of child labour. Their creations are made to Oeko-Tex 100
standards as well to ensure they’re free of hazardous chemicals. This hearty set comes in guy or gal styles for a limited time only!
WHERE TO BUY? https://www.happysocks.com/au/men/mens-underwear/
[SIX] WATCH by WeWood
ECO + ETHICAL HOW? I’ve been eyeing these
watches up myself since I discovered them on instagram. They’re represented by
the same eco agency as me in Australia and I’m committed to supporting my
fellow eco-smart entrepreneurs, their beautiful watches epitomize sophisticated
sustainability. Each WeWood watch is made from recycled and reclaimed timber
including Indian rosewood, mahogany, coffee tree and
teak, each with different healing properties and meanings. The company has
teamed up with ‘American Forests’ and ‘Trees for the Future’, and ‘Conservation
Volunteers’ to plant one tree for every watch sold.
watches up myself since I discovered them on instagram. They’re represented by
the same eco agency as me in Australia and I’m committed to supporting my
fellow eco-smart entrepreneurs, their beautiful watches epitomize sophisticated
sustainability. Each WeWood watch is made from recycled and reclaimed timber
including Indian rosewood, mahogany, coffee tree and
teak, each with different healing properties and meanings. The company has
teamed up with ‘American Forests’ and ‘Trees for the Future’, and ‘Conservation
Volunteers’ to plant one tree for every watch sold.
WHERE TO BUY? http://amzn.to/1PjEPQC
[SEVEN] TIE by Forage
ECO + ETHICAL HOW? I’ve never bought anyone a tie, but have
recently become obsessed with these ones. They’re from Philadelphia based Sephen
Loidoi and Shauna Alterio who met in a kissing booth at school and have worked
together on a number of creative projects since, including Forage, for which
they hand-craft limited edition bow ties and ties out of vintage and deadstock
fabrics which they hunt for wherever they go. Each tie or bow tie has a secret
message inside, inspired by an early 1900s autograph book they found in their
foraging. Each item is made by hand in the U.S.A and packaged in hand-printed
recycled materials.
recently become obsessed with these ones. They’re from Philadelphia based Sephen
Loidoi and Shauna Alterio who met in a kissing booth at school and have worked
together on a number of creative projects since, including Forage, for which
they hand-craft limited edition bow ties and ties out of vintage and deadstock
fabrics which they hunt for wherever they go. Each tie or bow tie has a secret
message inside, inspired by an early 1900s autograph book they found in their
foraging. Each item is made by hand in the U.S.A and packaged in hand-printed
recycled materials.
WHERE TO BUY? http://www.foragehaberdashery.com
[EIGHT] CARD by EmilyMcDowell
ECO + ETHICAL HOW? Offset printed in Los
Angeles onto heavyweight matte stock, using environmentally friendly soy inks,
Emily’s collection of creative cards is bound to make charm your loved one with a chuckle.
WHERE TO BUY? http://emilymcdowell.com/collections/cards/Love-Anniversary-Valentine
[NINE] BOOK by Thich Nhat Hanh
ECO + ETHICAL HOW? One of my favourite things to do at night is be read to by my partner. The child in me finds nothing cozier. So getting a book to share doesn’t seem like such a bad idea, especially if it is one which will help strengthen your soul and the soul of your partner. In this world of great distractions, Thich Nhat Hanh’s mindfulness essentials series of how-to titles brings you one which is a simple but great reminder on how to do the most simple but complex thing in the human experience: how to love. It’s a beautiful reminder of the foundations needed within for successful relationship building, love growth and life sharing. Thich Nhat Hanh’s books are printed on recycled paper and I read that the profits from sales of the books go to the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation.
WHERE TO BUY? http://amzn.to/1KrHsmw
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