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<br /> If you are a diehard romantic, Valentine’s Day can’t come and go without splurging on sparklers, sweets and the ever-present bunch of red <keyword id="111273" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="roses">roses</keyword>. The sparklers can vary in nature though, right from that coveted diamond ring to less expensive pieces of jewellery and the sparkling <keyword id="154059" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Wines">wines</keyword> so artfully catching the light. But <keyword id="25282" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="chocolates">chocolates</keyword> and roses are difficult to be replaced. For most of us, that whole package is an idée fixe as long as we care to celebrate the Valentine’s Day.<br />
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Yet, the gift of roses or chocolates or Valentine’s Day cards for that matter won’t make you happy if you are planning to celebrate a ‘green’ V-Day this year. Here’s a quick look at how our traditional Valentine’s Day celebration is hurting us and what we can do to make it a more sustainable, more lovable love day.<br />
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<strong><keyword id="6355626" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chocolate">Chocolate</keyword>, chocolate everywhere, but do you buy fair-trade products?</strong><br /> There’s plenty to shop and relish without even thinking who are producing those. An average couple in India spends around Rs 1,500-3,500 on Valentine’s Day, as per an <keyword id="6355988" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Assocham">ASSOCHAM</keyword> survey, and quite predictably, chocolates top the V-Day gift list. In fact, in the US alone, people are expected to spend around $1.5 billion or more on chocolates during the week leading to the Valentine’s Day, as per industry estimates. Although we are ready to shell out big money on chocolate gifts, are we ready to pay a little extra for organic and fair-trade chocolate brands?<br />
<br /> Believe it or not, a great amount of global <keyword id="2057290" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cocoa-production">cocoa production</keyword> involves <keyword id="6377229" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Child-labour">child labour</keyword>. In contrast, “fair trade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world… Fair trade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives,” states <keyword id="2057280" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Fairtrade-Foundation">Fairtrade Foundation</keyword>.<br />
<br /> As there are loads of chocolate companies that come with proper certifications, all you need to do is search for them on the Internet and find a local company. It may cost a bit more as people involved in the production process get fairly paid and work in healthy, humane settings. But that’s the least we can do to celebrate the <keyword id="934101" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="day-of-love">day of love</keyword>. After all, V-Day is all about bringing love and happiness to another’s life and buying fair-trade items is the first step you can take right now.<br />
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<strong>Roses cause high carbon impact; try <keyword id="2057297" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Field-flowers">field flowers</keyword>.</strong><br /> The real price of flowers is not the money you are paying your <keyword id="185057" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="florist">florist</keyword> but the environmental impact they are causing. According to a CNN report, the estimated number of roses grown for last year’s Valentine’s Day in the US amounted to 224 million. However, these typically produced some 20,000 metric tonnes of <keyword id="48468" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Carbon-dioxide">carbon dioxide</keyword> (CO<sub>2</sub>) emissions while on their journey from fields to florists. When it comes to <keyword id="2057296" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Fresh-cut-flower-trade">fresh cut flower trade</keyword> worldwide, roses dominate the market. But as they mostly flourish in specific conditions (sunshine but not too much of heat and plenty of water), not all countries can grow these in natural environment. Most flowers grown commercially come from climate-controlled greenhouses and delivery of the same requires temperature-controlled trucks and cold boxes – thus enhancing the carbon footprint. That’s why environmentalists suggest buying local and seasonal flowers that not only cost less but keep the Earth pollution free. Try out the field flowers for a change or buy your sweetheart an offbeat decoration of leaves. Another great option is a <keyword id="2057298" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Potted-plant">potted plant</keyword> to usher in a green Valentine’s Day. That’s one green gift that will live longer than the most expensive bouquet and remind your significant other of your evergreen presence.<br />
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<strong><keyword id="2057301" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="V-Day-cards">V-Day cards</keyword> &amp; gift wraps: Save trees and grow them with <keyword id="2057305" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Seed-paper">seed paper</keyword>.</strong><br /> How many V-Day cards are purchased all over the world? Approximately one billion, as per industry estimates, while Americans spend around $277 million on Valentine cards every year, second only to Christmas. As for gift wraps, they are another huge waste of paper. But in this age of digital media, it’s easy to cut down on such environmental waste. Just send in an e-card or buy cards made of <keyword id="502757" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="recycled-paper">recycled paper</keyword> or better still, make one yourself from various knick-knacks or the half-forgotten ‘litter’ and ‘junk’ lying at every home. We came across a couple who jointly made a scrapbook for the V-Day, putting in all things that mattered in their journey together – right from first-date photographs to old cards they gave each other, the letters they wrote and so on. Interestingly, their kids are now going through those carefully and revelling in the romance of their somewhat stern parents.<br />
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As for wrapping paper, the green alternative has already come up in the form of seed paper. It’s a kind of handmade paper embedded with wildflower, herb or vegetable seeds – so that when you plant the paper, the seeds will germinate and grow into plants. Just buy some seed paper as gift wrap and ask the recipient to plant it in a pot or in his/her garden when the gifts have been unwrapped. It is approved for planting in the US, Canada, Europe and many other countries across the world. These are also available in India and you can easily buy them online.<br />
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<strong>Start loving yourself: Eat &amp; drink green.</strong><br /> Take a deep breath, let your mind relax and let your body detox – so that you feel as fresh and energetic as the day. Forget the five-course dinner and the bubbly at a posh but confined restaurant. Go for a picnic lunch instead and stuff yourself with all things green. A big <keyword id="51752" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="salad">salad</keyword>, <keyword id="2057311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Steamed-vegetables">steamed vegetables</keyword>, plenty of fresh fruit/juice and some <keyword id="578242" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Herbal-tea">herbal tea</keyword> laced with honey would be a welcome change to a jaded palate. How about picking up some <keyword id="25940" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="organic-food">organic food</keyword> stuff on your way home and cooking an exotic dish for the two of you? But in case cooking makes you see red, choose an eatery that serves organic dishes and go for a ‘<keyword id="2057312" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Green-food">green food</keyword>’ adventure. You are bound to remember the experience for a long time.<br />
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<strong>Celebrate another ‘love day' on <keyword id="6453991" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Earth-day">Earth Day</keyword>.</strong><br /> Ever thought of celebrating two V-Days in a year? If the traditional Valentine’s Day on February 14 keeps you too busy with all its gift rituals, chocolate charms and flower formalities, choose your ‘personal’ day of love when you and your significant other can spend some time together, working for the 'green' cause. It can be any day that both of you value – the day when you two first met; the day he proposed or the Earth Day itself (April 22). Plant trees; clean up your house/neighbourhood; buy some power/water-saving gadgets or get involved in any other activity that will help create a greener community. Do remember that Valentine’s Day is not about romantic love alone. It’s also about sharing love and this time, you are showing your commitment for Mother Earth. A little act of thoughtfulness not only works wonders for the good earth, but also makes you feel good inside. So green up your world, be happy and let love bloom this <keyword id="41008" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Valentines-Day">Valentine's Day</keyword>.<br />
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<strong>Images:</strong> Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images

Roses, Chocolates Can’t
Sustain You; Green Up Your World This Valentine’s Day

<p><em>The<span> </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Insider Picks</a><span> </span>team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.</em></p><p><a href="http://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGRkxHRkJGSEhLR01CRktHSUdI?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bollandbranch.com%2Fproducts%2Fmattress&amp;sid=biip_012219_boll-and-branch-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Boll &amp; Branch</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></em></a></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>The <a href="http://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGRkxHRkJGSEhLR01CRktHSUdI?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bollandbranch.com%2Fproducts%2Fmattress&amp;sid=biip_012219_boll-and-branch-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boll &amp; Branch mattress</a> creates a perfect balance between firmness and comfort, featuring eco-friendly materials you can feel good about sleeping on.</strong></li><li><strong>It's expensive at $2,500 for a queen, but its quality and attention to detail makes it worthy of the cost if you have the budget.</strong></li></ul><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Getting its start as a bedding company, Boll &amp; Branch is predominantly known for its luxurious Fair Trade Certified Organic Cotton Sheets. However, the company recently introduced its own hand-crafted mattress to its product line-up. The <a href="http://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGRkxHRkJGSEhLR01CRktHSUdI?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bollandbranch.com%2Fproducts%2Fmattress&amp;sid=biip_012219_boll-and-branch-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boll &amp; Branch mattress</a> keeps all the important qualities that have made the sheets so popular. It's crafted from fair-trade materials that are ethically sourced and naturally derived, and it provides the same level of balanced comfort needed for quality sleep. </span></p><h2><strong>First impressions</strong></h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After testing the Boll &amp; Branch for myself, I can confidently say that this is a mattress even Goldilocks would have approved of. It feels just right in terms of firmness, comfort, and support. This is not a bed-in-a-box situation either - so there's no unrolling or off-gassing involved here. Boll &amp; Branch provides white glove delivery service, complete with the offer to take your old mattress off your hands. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our mattress took several weeks to arrive because each mattress is made to order and hand-crafted in the United Sates. While the time it takes isn't necessarily convenient, especially if you're in a hurry to replace an old mattress, I can say first-hand that it is worth the wait. The quality of this mattress shows both in its construction and its level of comfort. </span></p><h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGRkxHRkJGSEhLR01CRktHSUdI?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bollandbranch.com%2Fproducts%2Fmattress&amp;sid=biip_012219_boll-and-branch-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><p class="source"><span>Boll &amp; Branch</span></p></div><p></p></div></div><strong>Construction</strong></h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The <a href="http://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGRkxHRkJGSEhLR01CRktHSUdI?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bollandbranch.com%2Fproducts%2Fmattress&amp;sid=biip_012219_boll-and-branch-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boll &amp; Branch</a> is comprised of five layers.  The soft wool and poly blend topper is surrounded by a layer of breathable, organic cotton. Just beneath the topper is a layer of graphite-infused latex which creates a natural cooling effect, and a layer of latex for stability. Below these layers is where the micro-coils sit to prevent motion transfer and provide greater air flow, and just beneath the micro-coil layer are the foundational coils, which provide even support throughout the mattress. Obviously if you have a latex allergy, this isn't but mattress for you, but if eco-friendly products are important to you, you'll appreciate that the materials are naturally derived and ethically sourced.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hand-sewn tufts allow the top layer of the mattress to be held together without any glue, but I found that they did create hard spots on the surface of the mattress. These could be an annoyance if you were leaning on your elbows while reading in bed and accidentally leaned on one. However, I didn't experience any issues while sleeping on my stomach or side, and my partner, who sleeps on his back, also slept comfortably through the night.</span></p><h2><strong>Comfort</strong></h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you're looking for a medium firm mattress, I would highly recommend the <a href="http://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGRkxHRkJGSEhLR01CRktHSUdI?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bollandbranch.com%2Fproducts%2Fmattress&amp;sid=biip_012219_boll-and-branch-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boll &amp; Branch</a>. It provides support without feeling too hard, and I could sleep comfortably through the night without any aches or pains in the morning. In my opinion, its level of firmness makes it suitable for all sleeping positions. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I'm a light sleeper who frequently wakes up multiple times during the night, but while sleeping on this mattress, I woke up far less often than usual - even with our new kitten bouncing around on the bed and my partner rolling over in the night. I definitely attribute to this to the combination of micro coils and latex that help minimize motion transfer. The graphite-infused layer of latex also seemed to do its job - neither my partner nor I felt like we were overheating during the night. This mattress won't absorb heat, which makes it great for those who tend to sleep hot. </span></p><h2><strong>Final thoughts </strong></h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the Queen sized mattress coming in at $2,500, the <a href="http://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGRkxHRkJGSEhLR01CRktHSUdI?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bollandbranch.com%2Fproducts%2Fmattress&amp;sid=biip_012219_boll-and-branch-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boll &amp; Branch mattress</a> is definitely an investment. However, it's a worthwhile one considering your mattress has a huge impact on how you sleep at night, and thus, your quality of life during the day. This mattress doesn't skimp on its attention to detail, with natural materials you can feel good about sleeping on, and handcrafted construction that ensures durability. Additional features like the white-glove delivery service also make the <a href="http://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGRkxHRkJGSEhLR01CRktHSUdI?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bollandbranch.com%2Fproducts%2Fmattress&amp;sid=biip_012219_boll-and-branch-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boll &amp; Branch mattress</a> worth the price. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you're still unsure whether you'll like this mattress, it comes with a 100-night trial so you can make sure it will meet your needs. According to </span><a href="https://gearpatrol.com/2019/01/04/boll-and-branch-mattress-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gear Patrol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, it's a perfect fit for those who "value ethical business practices working to make high-quality products" and it's deemed as "exceptionally comfortable" - a description I heartily agree with. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Boll &amp; Branch is available in Queen, King, and California King sizes, and comes with a 10-year limited warranty.</span></p><h3><a href="http://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGRkxHRkJGSEhLR01CRktHSUdI?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bollandbranch.com%2Fproducts%2Fmattress&amp;sid=biip_012219_boll-and-branch-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy the Boll &amp; Branch Mattress for $2,500-$2,900</a></h3><p class="tagline"><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a><br><br>Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>.<br><br>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.</br></br></br></br></p>

Bedding startup Boll & Branch now makes a $2,500 eco-friendly mattress - if it's in your budget, we can't recommend it enough

A local's ultimate guide to visiting Philadelphia

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Make A Stand" title_caption="Make A Stand founder Vivienne Harr." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/537622d569bedd380c1d7705-960/vivienne-harr-make-a-stand.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Make A Stand</span></p><p class="caption">Make A Stand founder Vivienne Harr.</p></div><p></p></div>Last week, 10-year-old entrepreneur Vivienne Harr stole the show at the <a href="http://www.sba.gov/nsbw/nsbw">National Small Business Week</a> kickoff event at Twitter's San Francisco headquarters. Harr, founder of the charitable lemonade company <a href="http://makeastand.com/">Make A Stand</a>, shared her "lemonade lessons" with the crowd of small-business owners and advocates.</p>
<p>Harr was only 8 when she saw photographer Lisa Kristine's <a href="http://www.lisakristine.com/portfolio/brothers-carrying-stone-nepal/">image of two young Nepalese brothers</a> carrying heavy stones down a mountain. When she learned that these boys were slaves, she immediately decided that she wanted to end child slavery. So in May of 2012, she did what many kids do, and set up a lemonade stand near her home in Fairfax, California, except the money she earned didn't go towards candy and toys. She charged "Whatever's in your heart" and gave all proceeds to charities fighting for her cause.</p>
<p>As word got out about her mission, Harr continued to sit at her increasingly popular lemonade stand every day, and in December, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg invited her to sell her lemonade in Times Square. By the end of the day, she had raised $101,320.</p>
<p>She told her parents that she wasn't going to stop until child slavery no longer existed, and they decided to help her turn her cause into a real company called <a href="http://makeastand.com/">Make A Stand</a>. Five percent of profits from every professionally produced bottle of fair-trade, organic "lemon-aid" goes toward <a href="http://makeastand.com/pages/the-make-a-stand-foundation">the company's foundation</a>, which works towards Harr's goal by funding organizations like Free The Slaves and UNICEF. The company says its foundation has raised over $25,000, and <a href="http://www.ups.com/pressroom/us/press_releases/press_release/Press+Releases/Current+Press+Releases/ci.UPS+Helps+Small+Go+Big.syndication">UPS recently announced</a> it would donate $1 for every bottle sold through December, up to $10,000.</p>
<p><span>In January, Harr's father Eric quit his job to dedicate himself to her goal full-time, </span><span>and he's now in talks with two major grocery chains for distribution rights.</span></p>
<p>We caught up with Harr to find out how she successfully started a business and rallied people around her cause (with a little help from her parents). She shares some of her "lemonade lessons" for entrepreneurs and small-business owners below.</p>
<h3>1. "Thinking like a kid" can help you overcome setbacks.</h3>
<p>"Kids don't see a lot of the obstacles in the world," Harr says. She thinks that more adults could benefit from the idealistic optimism that comes with being a child. Failure has never once crossed her mind as she and her family worked to turn a lemonade stand into a real company. And her dad said it's her unwavering optimism that inspired him to leave his job and work towards realizing her vision.</p>
<h3>2. Social media provides a great way to build trust with your customers.</h3>
<p>Leave it a 10-year-old to harness the power of social-media marketing. Harr's successful outreach to celebrities and activists on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/NickKristof/status/235738757381386240" target="_blank">introduced her to a national audience</a>. She says that social media provides her and her parents with a tool to reach out to customers, and that these interactions build trust because they show that her enthusiasm for the movement is genuine. When you've personally convinced people to support your company, they become brand ambassadors.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Reuters/Lucas Jackson" title_caption="Twitter executives asked Harr to ring the ceremonial bell at its IPO last November." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5376258369bedd97171d7708-960/vivienne-harr-twitter-ipo.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Reuters/Lucas Jackson</span></p><p class="caption">Twitter executives asked Harr to ring the ceremonial bell at its IPO last November.</p></div><p></p></div></p>
<h3>3. If you grow too fast, you can forget why you started.</h3>
<p>Harr wants her business to become successful, but she doesn't want to let too many people join and turn it into just another big company.</p>
<p>She wants to keep her team small enough so that she still has influence over the overall direction of the company. She says every owner has a responsibility to his or her company to "keep it pure."</p>
<h3>4. Giving back is a win-win situation.</h3>
<p>Harr doesn't expect e<span>very business owner to dedicate so much of their business to charity the way she does</span>, but she thinks that it's a great idea to give your company some charitable aspect. There's the good you're doing, and in practical terms, "it makes more people want your product," she says.</p>
<p>She thinks that the charitable business model compels more people to give to charities, and since buying these products makes people feel good, sustains itself.</p>
<h3>5. You have a shot at success if you "start with your heart."</h3>
<p>As a final piece of advice, Harr says that the only way entrepreneurs have a chance of being successful is if they start a business because they're following their passion.</p>
<p>She believes so strongly in <a href="http://makeastand.com/">Make A Stand</a> that she wants to make her foundation her life's work. And she thinks she'll get her first major goal completed in just a couple decades. "I plan on ending child slavery by the time I'm 30," she says, "and then I'll find another cause."</p>

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