Ethical choices for Valentines Day!

Out of curiosity on this day for lovers (everywhere?) I googled 'ethical valentines clothing' to see what turned up. I am quite pleased that I did not find anyone marketing specific ethical clothing for Valentines day consumption - use once a year (or once only!) somehow clashing with my idea of ethics. I did however find two interesting tidbits in amongst the more commercial fayre:

• Here's a last minute gift idea - over on the Action Aid site are some great off beat offerings so you can buy a pair of goats to help a family in Africa, plant cocoa tree seedlings or even buy a beehive on behalf of your Valentine - ActionAid will then send an e-card to your Valentine outlining your generosity. (Incidentally, Action Aid are one of our clients here at Pier 32)
• The UK's Department of International Development have set up a page on their website extolling us to "Buy ethical gifts on Valentine's Day to help make poverty history" with encouragement to buy Kenyan roses explaining how "Roses flown in from Africa can use less energy than those grown in Europe". It's about the wasteful heat need to grow them in greenhouses close to home.

We like the Action Aid offering - get out there and buy the ultimate Valentine's gift - not a coat, a goat!