I think Valentine’s Day is just a greeting-card holiday, but my wife doesn’t agree. Do you have any suggestions to please the green-hearted?
Dan, Ottawa
Two traditional gifts come to mind: flowers and chocolate. And it’s not just Valentine’s Day they have in common. You can find Fair Trade-certified versions of both in most parts of Canada.
Fair Trade is based on a partnership between producers from the developing world and consumers, ultimately giving them a better deal and improved terms of trade. You’re actually voting with your dollar and supporting farmers who are protected by a high level of ethical and economic standards. Fair Trade certification ensures that producers and their families and communities in developing countries get an opportunity to improve their lives and plan for the future – and it helps the environment. You’ll also discover the label on other products like spices, sugar, rice, fruit and even soccer balls.
Another simple way to green up your bouquet shopping skills year-round is to ask your florist for local, seasonal and organic flowers. Many cut flowers are grown overseas in developing countries, where growers use toxic pesticides banned here in Canada. And we don’t test pesticide residues on flowers. So tell your local florist that you’d love it if they supplied more flowers from local growers, free from pesticides.
Lindsay Coulter gives you the straight goods on living green. Send your questions to queenofgreen@metronews.ca. For more great tips, visit The David Suzuki Foundation at davidsuzuki.org.
