A sustainable Valentine’s day
A cheesy and very commercial day where chocolate gets the shape of a heart and we all feel obligated to buy presents for our loved ones. Valentine’s day is coming up and even though this day’s a bit cliché, it’s also a great reminder to do something with someone special like your husband, boy/girlfriend or even your best friend. But a day like Valentines also has a lot of consequences for our planet. 2020 is the year to be more environmentally friendly and what better way to start than with its ‘first holiday’, a sustainable Valentine’s day. ‘What does that look like?’ you may ask. Well here are some tips to be more environmentally friendly during Valentine’s day.
What to do?
If you are looking for a fun activity to do during Valentine’s day, maybe going on a hike is the activity for you. The Netherlands has many beautiful and underrated hike trails to explore, such as ‘the Hoge Veluwe’. Pack yourself a picnic and enjoy the fresh air and the silence of nature.
I am not a weather forecaster, but I know sunny days in February can be hard to find. So when you don’t feel like hiking in the rain, you could do a cozy dinner night at home. Cooking together can be really fun even when you’re not a great cook yourself. Try a recipe out of a new cookbook like a vegan or zero waste cookbook. The plant-based cookbook by Ella Mills or the Zero Waste cookbook by Giovanna Torrico are great.
Where to go?
If you don’t feel like putting too much effort in to your date and like to go out for dinner, you could go to a sustainable or zero waste restaurant. Here are a few:
- Instock Utrecht, Amsterdam and Den Haag.
Instock’s menu consists out of food that would be wasted. They pick up the unsold products from local supermarkets and make the most delicious meals out of them.
- The Greenhouse Utrecht
Even the Greenhouse’s building is totally circular and sustainable build because they used reused materials. At The Greenhouse you can enjoy seasonal dishes with vegetables and herbs from their own urban farm or locally bought.
- Circl in Amsterdam
Circl’s building has also been built via sustainable principles, to have as little as possible impact on our planet. The building is energy efficient and removable built. They work with a small menu in the restaurant, which is all about greens and vegetables. The dishes are made with seasonal products.
Where to stay?
Do you want a valentine’s weekend instead of just a day? You should take a look at some sustainable ways to get a lovely overnight stay. For example: Tiny houses or yurts which are small and only contain the most necessary supplies or you could of course book a room at an Eco Hotel like Qo in Amsterdam. Airbnb provides lovely and rare accommodations such as the tiny houses.
What to wear?
We all know the struggle, you don’t know what to wear and you don’t want to buy something you will probably wear one night. Therefore, this brilliant solution: rent your clothes. For example, at ‘LENA the fashion factory’ you can rent your clothes or buy them out of a high-quality collection from upcoming designers, sustainable labels and the most beautiful vintage items.
Geschreven door: Yoni
Bronnen
https://www.thegreenhouserestaurant.nl/
https://www.instock.nl/https://circl.nl/
