Give the gift of sustainability this Valentine's Day!

Chocolates and roses may seem like a great gift on the surface... but if give your sweetie a product that uses exploited labor from other countries, inhumanely treated animal products, and chemical processing really going to send the right message?

Here are some places to get great Valentine's day gifts that will send the right message!

1. Organic Consumers Association has compiled a list of places to buy organic for gifts such as flowers, chocolate, cards, and even wines. All gifts are listed as fair-trade.

2. Sticky Fingers Bakery: located in Washington, DC, this all vegan bakery offers as wide array of sweets from chocolate strawberries and sugar hearts, to customizable cakes and they will even send them to you anywhere in the US. This company has one numerous awards for their products; I'm planning on grabbing a desert myself here on Valentine's Day!

3. Farm Sanctuary is offering a Valentine's Day gift package for your significant other by adopting a farm animal in their name. You can pay monthly and you receive an adoption certificate with a color photograph of the adopted animal, an adoption card, invitation to schedule a VIP tour to meet the sponsored animal and other benefits. I already told my boyfriend that this would be the only thing I'd want for our anniversary.

Valentine's Day Dinner for Vegetarians and the Health Conscious!

It's February and love is in the air as Valentine's Day fast approaches. But for many, the quest for the perfect, romantic restaurant can be frustrating with prix fixe menus often limiting our options. Never fear though, there are still great options for those looking for a meatless dinner or simply a healthier alternative:

1. The Pulse Cafe $$
195 Elm St.
Somerville, MA 02140
Tuesday - Thursday: 5pm - 9pm
Friday - Saturday: 5pm - 10pm
Sunday, February 14, 2010 serving 5pm to 9pm

An all vegan, organic restaurant focused on natural cuisine, The Pulse Cafe is offering a five-course special Valentine's Day event for $30 per person. Plus, the cafe focuses their efforts on sustainability through supporting wind energy (by using NSTAR Green) and working with Save that Stuff to meet recycling an compost needs.

2. The Elephant Walk $$$
2067 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
Dinner Hours:
Monday-Friday 4:00pm - 10:00pm
Saturday and Sunday 5:00pm - 10:00pm

Though this restaurant has many meat-options, there are just as many vegan and gluten-free options (dedicating almost half their menu to such). A fusion of Cambodian and French cuisine, The Elephant Walk offers up everything from curries to flash-fried tofu satay. They also teach year-round cooking classes in vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine. Call ahead to check on the Valentine's Day menu offerings. (There are also locations in Boston and Waltham).

3. Oleana Restaurant $$$
134 Hampshire Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

For those looking for a classy with a large focus on vegetarian fare for V-Day, look no further than Oleana's Restaurant. Serving up fresh vegetables harvested daily from Siena Farms (who has a CSA membership program by the way), their Turkish inspired menu changes seasonally to reflect the local product. Though meat is offered at their restaurant, there is a wide variety of both vegan and vegetarian options (including a vegetarian tasting menu for $36). Call ahead to check on Valentine's Day menu offerings.

4. T.W. Food $$$$
377 Walden Street
Cambridge MA 02138
5 – 10pm, 7 days a week

Interested in humanely raised meat products but don't know where to go for a night out? Looking for a restaurant that cares about getting locally? T.W. Food is your place then, serving humanely raised meat (such as grass-fed beef), picking wild mushrooms, and teaming with farmers who product herbs and vegetables for local consumption. For Valentine's Day, they are offering two sittings (at $59 and $85) with extensive vegetarian fare in a classy setting.