Green Gifts for the Romantic

Believe it or not some people think green M&M's are "special". Some people consider them an aphrodisiac. Personally I like the red one's best. If you want to test the theory you can create a custom bag of any color M &Ms including green.. While M&M's may be green, the company is not very "green" at all. There are however, companies that are.

Earth Friendly gifts for the romantic are as easily obtainable as any other type. The difference is that while you are saying "I love you.", you can also be saying "I want the world to be a better place for you."

Some of the words that you will want to look for are:

• Fair Trade- this means that the farmer is being paid a fair wage
• Organic- this means the item was grown without the use of chemicals
• Sustainable- Created from items that are easily replaced
• Ethical- Produced without animal testing or other questionable practices
• All Natural - no artificial anything

  Often these items may cost a little more, sometimes a lot more, but they are also most often higher quality.

There are numerous Fair Trade Chocolates available. These are most often made from single source cacao beans, meaning that they were grown on one farm. The chocolate flavor varies. Here are some of the best:

• Vere Dark Chocolate Truffles -made with chocolate from the Ecuadorian Rain Forest. Intense. 35.00 per box
• Sweet Earth Organic Chai Chocolates- one dollar of every sale will be donated to a charity. 3 oz $5.99
• Vegan? Valentines Day Vegan Heart Box, also from Sweet Earth,

Flowers can be Fair Trade, too. Many flowers are grown outside the United States and imported in from South and Central American Countries. Like coffee and chocolate, many of these flowers are harvested by the poorest of the poor. By buying Fair Trade Certified flowers you are investing in, not only the flowers, but the lives of the workers that pick them. You can be sure that the workers are getting a fair wage and compensation, good working conditions, and that the flowers are grown in an eco-friendly,a nd sustainable manner.

You can get fair trade flowers delivered from

• 1-800-flowers.com
• OrganicBouquet

Chemical fragrances are bad for you and bad for the environment. We are being subjected to so many chemicals every day that our bodies can't deal with the toxin overload and we develop chemical sensitivities at an alarming rate. Go green with natural bath and fragrance products made with essential oils and flower essences.

• Jack Black Triple Cushion Shave Lather -luxuriously made with Macadamia nut oil and soy . Keep his skin soft and smooth as he shaves.

• Body wash made with essential oils

• Cologne made with organic products

• LUSH bath products

• Fair Trade Coffees and teas
• Soy based candles
• Fair Trade handmade items, pashima shawls etc.

Besides the Internet, many of these products can be found locally at places like Whole Foods. Even Target has begun to carry many earth friendly products. Plan ahead, though, because it does take a little more effort to buy earth friendly products.

Be sure to use eco-friendly wrap as well. Use reusable materials to wrap the gift. Fabric works well for this. You can also use towels, vintage linens, and even a vintage scarf.

There are also recycled gift bags, recycled wrapping papers, and recycled cards available. Look around, and feel good that you are making a positive impact.