5 Ways to Show You Love Our Planet this Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day doesn't have to be all about chocolate and flowers. Here are five ways you can become more environmentally friendly and show your love for our beautiful planet. 

5. Use Less Plastic

Beyond voting yes on the plastic bag ban referendum in November to uphold the statewide law, there are many ways you can use less plastic. For instance, you can buy reusable bottles for water, reusable plastic sandwich bags,  bring your own tupperware to restaurants for leftovers, and much more! Check out this useful list for more ideas.

4. Ride Your Bike More and Drive Your Car Less

More than 50% of CO2 emission in California come from driving. You can start riding your bike to work or just around town and significantly reduce the maintenance costs on your car and reduce your carbon foot print. According to AAA, the annual cost to own and operate a car is $8,698. Significantly more expensive than biking to work or biking to a bus stop and taking public transportation. 

3. Properly Recycle your Electronics

Most people don't know where to dump their old electronics. While some stores may have programs to take back old electronics, they sometimes charge money for it. Here, is a searchable database so you can find a location near where you live to properly recycle your old electronics free of charge. 

2. Compost

As our landfills begin to fill to their maximum capacity we need to be more proactive in diverting waste from our landfills. Composting also provides a cheap alternative to commercial fertilizers as it contains essential nutrients needed by plants, along with many other benefits that synthetic fertilizers don't have. Compost improves soil structure and texture, allows soil to hold more moisture and prevents soil erosion. Using compost also promotes healthy root systems which can decrease agricultural runoff. Check out our compost page to learn how you can start composting. It's pretty simple stuff!

1. Reduce Food Waste

Don't judge food based on the expiration date, which is often just guess work. Instead just use your nose. If it smells nasty, then throw it out, otherwise you're good to go. A 2012 study by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that the United States wastes 40 percent of the food it produces - more than 20 pounds of food per person every month. Food waste is an expensive drain on the economy and extremely harmful to the environment, and it is one of the largest waste-related challenges facing us in the 21st Century.