FIVE WAYS TO SHOW THE EARTH SOME LOVE THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

1. Invest in LED bulbs. Bonus points for turning them off when you leave a room.

2. Kick the thermostat down a degree or two and wear some of those nice sweaters you never get to use. If you don’t own a sweater, consider looking for a great deal on one from a secondhand store. If you own way too many sweaters, consider donating some of them to a secondhand store. Yay, circular economy!

3. Try eating vegetarian for one meal a week. Impossible or Beyond Meat is widely available in stores and works surprisingly well in spaghetti sauce if you want to recreate that romantic scene from Lady and the Tramp.

4. Green up your Valentine’s gifts. In-

CITIZENS’ stead of cut flowers, give your loved one a living plant … maybe even plant a tree in their name. For greeting cards, skip the glitter and send an e-card. If you do buy a paper card, look for one printed on recycled paper, and ask your beloved to recycle it again once they’re done basking in your love. Or get creative and write a poem, craft a sonnet, or just jot a note from the heart—worth much more than any Hallmark platitude.

5. Finally, go outside, take a breath, and admire the beauty that’s all around us.

Contemplate the emerald hillsides and the promise of wildflowers that all this rain has brought us. Watch the hawks wheeling in the sky and the hummingbirds zipping from plant to plant. Hear the frogs rejoicing. Smile because you belong here.

Thank you and happy Valentine’s Day, you beautiful blue marble! CD

Patti Maw is a member of the South Orange County Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Education/Lobby. She has lived in San Juan Capistrano for 10 years and firmly believes that life is amazing and nature is beautiful.