Nature Needs a Valentine Too!

It's almost February 14th, the universal day of Love. Those struck by Cupid's arrow are striving to prove their eternal devotion, while others are just trying to brighten the day of those they care about. Love is a heartwarming, stress-relieving feeling that pushes many of us to reach out to those we care about. Whether it's sending flowers or chocolate; handing out valentines; or simply spending time with someone; we express it in so many different ways.

What if we added a twist this Valentines Day and included Nature in all that Love. Stick with me for a minute....I know this might sound out there, hug a tree like (which I think is totally acceptable), but for real. Nature is already a huge part of this Holiday, it just doesn't get the recognition it deserves and it rarely gets a Valentine in return. Nature provides the trees that allow us to make cards and other paper gifts; it even grows the cocoa beans which allow us to give chocolate. Minerals from the earth provide the beautiful jewels that turn into the jewelry that makes her glow; and of course plants provide food that goes into your romantic dinner. Then there's flowers, which is self-explanatory.

So, what if we showed someone how much we love them by doing something for nature. Or even spending time in nature.

Some examples would be:

Volunteer to clean up a beach or local park.
Go on a romantic hike with a lovely packed meal (remember pack it in pack it out!) and then donate money to that area.
Plant a tree in someone's name or more than one.
Donate money to an organization fighting to protect something that means a lot to you and your Valentine (rivers, public lands, the arctic, etc.).
Bike or walk to dinner or a movie (or both!).
Go canoeing and then camp out. Play cards by candlelight and cook your food over a fire.
Make sure your gift is fair-trade, sustainable, or all around good for the environment
Design a nice dinner around local food and organic wine or beer.
Make a pact together to reduce your plastic use by 90% by the end of the year. You can get online and order things to help with that: reusable sandwich and produce bags; look into Etee beeswax products to store food in, or cover food with. Put reusable grocery bags in your car, so they are always with you. The sky's the limit!

There is so much you can do to show your loved one how much you love them, while also telling them you want to keep their world preserved. By taking care of Nature, you can take care of the future of everyone you love, down to the air they breathe. Even if you don't have a Valentine, do things for nature for yourself. We all deserve to be able to visit wild places and swim in clean water; to witness the beauty of animals that are endangered and to not breathe polluted air.

It's quite simple: Nature needs a Valentine, because without it this world would be pretty gloomy. One other way you can show it some love is by purchasing certain Your True Nature products that give 10% to NGOs on the frontlines of protecting the wild. They give back and make a fun gift:

Advice from an Elephant products give 10% of sales to Saving Wild, an NGO working to protect wildlife and the wild across the globe.

Advice from a River products give 10% of sales to River Network, which works to protect our rivers and ensure clean water in the future.

Advice from a Trail products give 10% back to the American Hiking Society, which seeks to protect the places we hike.

Our Night Sky products give 10% of their sales to the International Dark Sky Association, which seeks to protect the night sky for today and future generations, by reducing reducing light pollution.

Advice from a Rainforest sales give 10% to the Rainforest Trust, which purchases and protects the most threatened tropical forests and their wildlife.