10 Eco Friendly Date Ideas to Help Your Love Life Go Green!

Coming up with romantic date night ideas isn’t always easy. But for green couples, it’s even more challenging.  What are some eco friendly activities that you can do with your potential (or long term) love interest?  Here are a few eco friendly date ideas that you may want to consider this Valentine’s Day.  

Why Date Night is Important, Even For Green Couples!

Many, many years ago, I met a wonderful man who wooed me with flowers, cute little love notes, walks through town holding my hand, and other romantic yet simple gestures. We weren’t necessarily thinking about eco friendly date ideas. The reality was, we were just poor!

We laughed, snuggled, and skipped a few classes while we relished our budding relationship. Fast forward 25 years, 2 kids, a few jobs and a whole lot of stress and my husband and I have lost a bit of the romance we used to have in our relationship. Weeks are long, the kids are annoying, the bills need to be paid and we often wonder what happened to that young couple that was so head over heels in love.

Sometimes, romance takes a back seat to reality when it comes to our marriage, however, everyone needs to take a break occasionally and focus on their relationship with their significant other. Working a date night into your hectic schedule now and then is a great way to rekindle the spark in your marriage. And with a little thought, your date night can be sustainable, zero waste, carbon neutral or just plain frugal!

Like these eco friendly date ideas?  Read these green living tips, too:

• Best Eco Friendly Gifts for a Romantic Date Night: Red may be considered the color of love but when it comes to Valentine’s Day you should really start thinking GREEN! From organic flowers and fair trade chocolates to romantic evenings at home, here’s how you can have a sustainable Valentine’s Day. 
• 5 Reasons to Choose Artisan Chocolates. The difference between mass produced chocolate and artisan chocolate is huge. It’s like comparing a local, craft beer to the watered down stuff that college kids drink. There is no comparison.
• Delicious Honey Gift Ideas to Help Support the Pollinators! If you want to support the pollinators with your shopping dollars, here are a few ideas for you!

10 Eco Friendly Date Ideas

A sustainable date doesn’t have to be boring.  Of course, you probably aren’t going to jet off to Europe for the day or attend a Nascar event.  Here are a few suggestions for green dates that will be gentle on the planet while adding to the romance in your life. 

Cook a meal together

Cooking together is one of my favorite eco friendly date ideas for couples because I seriously love to eat! Couples that cook together, stay together! I read a statistic a while back which stated that couples that spend time in the kitchen together have a lower divorce rate than those that don’t. Hit the farmer’s market for some local produce, buy some organically raised meat and find a new recipe to try!

Get outside together: 

Hiking and camping are great ways to enjoy nature and the company of your spouse. Fill a backpack with some stainless steel water bottles, trail mix and a guide book of local trails and head out for a long hike.

Find a pick your own produce farm: 

Depending on the season, you can probably find a local farm that lets you pick your own produce. Whether you pick apples in the fall or blueberries mid summer, you can head back to the house and spend time together cooking and eating your freshly picked bounty. Check PicYourOwn.com for locations near you.

Enjoy Some Eco-Tourism: 

Eco-Tourism ideas can be as simple as taking a canoe out into your closest lake or as complex as visiting an off the grid hostel. Taking a few hours or a few days to enjoy getting back to nature with your spouse will help you realize what is really important in life.  This is one of those eco friendly date ideas that you can go cheap or REALLY expensive on!

Dine at a farm to table restaurant: 

If you are really craving a delicious meal made by someone that is NOT you, try finding a restaurant that supports local farmers and artisans. Many chefs are starting to realize how important it is to use local and seasonal foods in their menus.

Plant a garden: 

Whether you dig in the dirt of your own back yard or rent a space at a local community garden, digging in the dirt with your spouse can be a lot of fun. And, of course, when you start bringing in the harvest make sure you find creative ways to cook it together on your NEXT date night.

Support your local sports teams: 

Many towns have sports teams and even the non professional ones can be fun to watch. Take mass transit if possible to reduce your gas consumption and cheer on your town’s athletes.

Date night with neighbors:

I remember when I was a kid, my neighborhood had block parties and occasionally my parents would have the neighbors over for drinks and party food. Nowadays, it seems like very few people even KNOW their neighbors! Consider inviting the people next door over for cards, a game of trivia, or just a few snacks and some conversation.

Go on an eco friendly picnic: 

Pack up a reusable bag with some organic wine, a blanket, and some homemade food and head out to a field or local beach for a picnic. Sipping an organic wine and lounging on a blanket with your spouse is a relaxing and inexpensive way to reconnect.

Green dates for a good cause: 

If you are looking for eco friendly date ideas that give back, this is a great one. Spend time with your significant other while also helping the less fortunate. Find a local food bank, soup kitchen, or other sustainable charity that you both feel drawn to and volunteer together.

There are a ton of eco friendly date ideas to help add a bit more romance in your life. Most of the time, those eco friendly dates are more frugal as well. Anything that keeps you close to home, supports a local business or organization, and creates minimal waste can be turned into a fun date. Have any other eco friendly date ideas to share?