By Sandi Schwartz

It’s that time of year when children indulge in lots of sugary treats and hand out cards to their friends during the highly anticipated Valentine’s Day class party. It’s exciting to receive these goodies, but all those love notes and candy wrappers quickly end up in the garbage.

This holiday is all about love and that includes showing love to the earth as well as to each other. Here are some fun and easy ways to throw an eco-friendly Valentine’s Day class party for your children.

Treats — Most holidays seem to center around sweets, but Valentine’s Day has a love affair with chocolate. It’s important that we choose these treats carefully for our children, though. Look for natural and organic candy and baked goods to give out at the party because these products don’t contain harmful chemicals and are better for health and the environment overall. More stores are carrying these types items, but you can always bake your own to share with the class.

Even with organic treats, most wrappers are not easily recyclable. Look for non-plastic wrapped goodies such as those in paper boxes or foil so they can be recycled. Some treats like Hershey’s kisses and chocolate bars are wrapped with paper and/or foil that can be recycled. 

Be mindful of food items you purchase at the grocery store for the party. Avoid those wrapped in plastic, such as dips and pre-packaged fruit salads. And when you store any food that you prepare at home for the party, be sure to avoid plastic containers and plastic wrap by using alternatives like glass or stainless steel containers.

Party Goods — You can make a big impact with the party goods you choose for the class party. First of all, avoid using plastic or Styrofoam utensils, plates, and cups. Instead, look for paper (recycled is best), bamboo, or even plates and utensils made out of palm leaves. Don’t serve drinks with plastic straws. If children need straws, look for paper straws. If possible, use real cloth tablecloths instead of plastic throwaway ones. Finally, choose napkins made from recycled materials, which are now readily available online and at major retailers.

Decorations — What kind of Valentine’s Day celebration could we possibly have without all the red and pink heart decorations? Unfortunately, many traditional decorations are mass-produced using plastic materials. Here are some ways to go green when you decorate the classroom:

• Choose paper decorations instead of plastic.

• Make your own decorations using last year’s Valentine cards, ribbons and tissue paper from birthday gifts received, or by taking some recycled paper and drawing, painting, or stamping hearts and cupids on it. The options are endless!

• Use natural items such as apples and cherries for a splash of red, red plants and flowers, or take items like rocks, leaves, flower petals, or pine cones and glue them in the shape of hearts to display during the party. 

• Shop second hand. Check out thrift stores, online sites like freecycle.org, and garage sales for treasures that can add sparkle to party decor. When you choose to reuse, you are reducing waste and keeping items from ending up in the landfill.

Cards — The main event of any Valentine’s Day class party is handing out valentines to friends. Americans throw away enough paper annually to build a 12 foot high wall from Seattle to New York every year. Between those valentines being produced annually and then getting tossed in the garbage, they end up harming the environment in a number of ways like deforestation, air pollution, and producing greenhouse gases that cause climate change. We can make a big difference by cutting back on our paper use with a few creative tricks:

• Look for cards made from recycled paper.

• Help your children make their own cards from recycled paper, leftover wrapping paper, last year’s valentine cards, magazines, or other materials you have around the house. This way they can personalize them and their friends will feel so special!

• Spread a green message by handing out paper cards with seeds embedded in them. Look for colorful hearts or other fun shapes. Then each child can go home and plant it to grow their own flowers or herbs, which will make the holiday all the more special. 

Sandi Schwartz is an award-winning author, freelance journalist, and mother of two. She has written extensively about parenting, wellness, and environmental issues. Learn about her efforts to educate families about feeling happier and calmer through nature at ecohappinessproject.com.