1. Sunset Stroll (or drive)

• The sun is staying out a little later every day, and we want you to get the most out of it! Seeing the sun may be weather dependent, but a walk doesn’t have to be! Whatever the weather, this eco-friendly date idea encourages you to bundle up to spend some time outdoors together… That said, we also support you if you want to soak up the sunset from the comfort of your car at the local ‘lovers’ lookout’… Warm up afterward with ideas from the rest of the list!

2. Plant Based Lattes

Hard to squeeze in a full-on date night? Steal a few minutes away to cozy up in a café nook to catch up on what’s going on with each other – indulging in a sweet treat together can be a romantic affair! And opting for a plant-based milk means a lower carbon footprint! Love the planet, and each other!

3. Date Night Coupons  

DIY! Make a list of favourite ways to spend time together (aka “Date Nights”) and assemble them as popsicle sticks in a jar, or scraps of paper in a hat, or compiled into a good old fashion “coupon book” –– pick one a week for a date-night gift that keeps on giving – starting with Valentine’s Day! **For a head start on your date-night list, use these 14 eco-friendly ideas to get you going! **Try to keep your own ideas green for an even more rewarding experience!

4. Cook A Meal Together 

Try something plant based – try something new! Take the time to enjoy expanding your repertoire in the kitchen. We know there’s a part of you that loves cooking (or wants to love cooking) but is always short on time – now’s your chance! Flip through that gorgeous cookbook you couldn’t resist (or if no cookbook – then Pinterest offers great inspiration – loads of drool worthy plant based or vegan dishes to explore!). Get the ingredients ahead of time, crank up a favourite playlist, crack open a bottle of wine, and make a memory while making a meal! Bonus if the meal is 3 courses – or more!

5. Staycation Locally

Can’t afford to run off to a room with a view in another locale? Stay-cay locally! Blow the dust off your Airbnb or VRBO account and find a hidey-hole within 50km of your home – this big old country is a beautiful place, you don’t have to go far to be reminded of that! This lowers your eco-footprint and supports local! Win-win 🤗

6. Play Tourist

We know Valentine’s Day is a Monday this year, so this one is a little harder to do if you work a 9-5:00 job, as many shops & museums, etc close at 5:00, so, we think you should upgrade to “Valentine’s Weekend”, rather than just “Valentine’s Day”! This lets you play tourist and hit all the hot spots… Your community has a lot to offer – even in the “off-season”. Visit the museum, the brick & mortar gift shops, home décor stores, art galleries… grab a gelato (or something warmer) and some small batch made chocolates along the way!

7. Make Summer Plans

The gift of something to look forward to! Don’t get too caught up in the details – for now, just make a daydream list together! Camping at a favourite spot, going somewhere you’ve never been, visiting old friends – if you don’t plan it, you won’t do it, and daydreaming is the first step – no wrong answers today! Bonus is that this process will mean you’ll be prepared once destinations start accepting reservations, or even ahead of the game if you book right away! Just be sure to double check cancellation policies if you do go ahead and book now… there are only ~12 weekends in the summer season – we don’t want you to miss out!

8. Movie Night

Pull out all the stops – push couches together, add extra blankets and pillows, and of course popcorn! – and if you decide to go for a double – or even a triple feature – just remember to stand up and stretch once in a while!

9. Bake Cookies

Valentines conjures visions of chocolates and flowers – how about chocolates and flours?? Baking cookies together can be fun – and rewarding – a sweet gift for your sweet!

10. Have an “Earth Hour” Early

This means no power! “Earth Hour” isn’t until March, but you don’t have to wait until March to borrow this idea for a unique date night! Pretend the power is out and leave lights off for the night – candlelight only, wine and a deck of cards… music on a wireless device, takeout from a local restaurant… you get the idea… turn off the power and turn up the heat!

11. If You Gift, Make It Sustainable

For example:

• Potted plant rather than cut flowers
• Ethically sourced goodies – bath products, perfumes, clothing
• Second hand is okay! A gift basket with scores-from-the-thrift-store champagne flutes, a unique cupid, candle holders and a fun game sounds good to us!

12. Dance Party with Custom Playlist

Remember ‘Mix Tapes’? Make your playlist in advance, push back some furniture and get ready to shake your booty! This can be silly or serious… in our opinion it’s a good idea to start with something silly to loosen up and lighten the mood, then just let yourself go with the music! Choose fun songs to sing along to, slow ones to waltz around, off the wall ones to “interpretive dance” – and off course slow ones to end the night to… Build your customized playlist and evolve it over time! A couples’ playlist is a great idea as another gift that keeps on giving! Live the saying “Dance like no one’s watching”…

13. Do A Puzzle, Play Cards, a Board Game or “Would You Rather”

There are all kinds of new board games that cannot be mistaken for “bored” games… finding ones that hit that sweet spot of enjoyment for both of you may even make this eco-loving activity come in handy for future rainy days and quarantines! Check out Pinterest and Google for ideas!

14. Book a Couples Natural Spa Treatment or Massage

Need we say more?