Valentine's Day Action

by Zarah Patriana

Published February 04, 2009 @ 07:31AM PT

Valentine's Day is a time for action. Hmm. Get your minds out of the gutter folks. By action, I mean activism. This Valentine's Day (and every V-Day from here on out) you can share your love for social justice with someone that you love. Sounds a little cheesy, but it's true. For those who need a reminder, Valentine's Day is 10 days away!

Box of Fair Trade chocolates. Bottle of Fair Trade wine. Bouquet of Fair Trade flowers. Fair Trade curriculum? check check check and check.

My pals at Global Exchange are looking to reach their goal to educate 3,000 children about Fair Trade this year through their National Valentine's Day of Action. Teachers all over are adding Fair Trade in their curriculum this Valentine's Day to inform their students about child labor in the chocolate industry and ways that kids can make a difference for other kids around the world. Not a teacher but still want to inform others about Fair Trade this Valentine's Day? Well, lucky for you there is an Action Kit equipped with Valentine's Day cards with information about FT chocolate, a love banner, FT chocolates and so much more. Have a crush on Fair Trade? Circle Yes, No, or Maybe. Either way, pick up a kit, pass it out and get in on the action.

After the educational part of your Valentine's Day, check out the sweet and romantic side of Valentine's Day. Now, it's easier than ever to find Fair Trade Certified Valentine's Day gifts in the form of chocolate, flowers and the newest additional -- Fair Trade wine. TransFairUSA makes it easy for you to locate all these items at their Valentine's Day site.

At the site, if you make a pledge to make all your purchases Fair Trade Certified this Valentine's Day and encourage others to do as well, you will receive 15% off your next purchase of a Fair Trade Certified bouquet from 1-800-Flowers. Make the pledge and get 15% off your FT flowers. I've made my pledge. Now for someone else to make the pledge and put that next purchase of flowers to go to moi.

Looking for ever more gift ideas? Global Goods Partners started an action for a Fair Trade Valentine. Looks like they have something special going on too.

Cool gift alert. Equal Exchange has a coffee called Organic Love Buzz, which is a blend of Fair Trade coffee beans from Latin America. Described as sweet, sultry and smooth. LOVELY. Even greater about this is that Equal Exchange will donate 20 cents per package of all purchaes of Organic Love Buzz into their Small Farmers. Green Planet Fund. The money goes directly to Equal Exchange's farmer partners in South Africa, Mexico, Nicaragua and Colombia to support their reforestation, organic conversion, and environemental protection efforts. This isn't just a Valentine's Day deal, it's an all the time deal. Grab a bag of Organic Love Buzz now, green up your Vday and make your loved one's heart pound with joy (and caffeine).

There are so many other Fair Trade actions you can get into this V-Day. Green America is a great resource for different actions you can take this Valentine's Day and have an even bigger guide to Fair Trade V-Day gifts. Spread that love and give gifts that keep on giving.