15 eco-friendly date ideas

Show your care for the planet while showing your care for each other with these 15 eco-friendly date ideas.

Dating is an important part of your relationship – it’s when you get super intentional about deepening your connection (without being as cheesy as an episode of the Bachelor) by spending quality time together.

For those of you who have sustainability as a core value – and those of you who would just like to be a little greener – you’ll be pleased to know that eco-friendly date ideas are out there and they’re just as much fun as any other date idea going.

These 15 eco-friendly date ideas range from typical date ideas with a minimal carbon footprint through to activities that will improve the environment you live in. There’s no need to compromise your values in the name of love!

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Cook a vegan or organic meal

It’s easy to get stuck in the same ways of eating, and this can mean we miss out out some tasty treats that are good for our bodies and the planet. Cooking a vegan meal or one that uses organic foods is one way of having a sustainable date that also extends your culinary repertoire.

If you’re unsure about working from a random recipe, I can personally attest to Feasting at home’s vegan recipes. My fave is the broccoli and “cheddar” soup.

You could also subscribe to a meal kit service and select vegan options. This is how we started – we’re not vegan but we eat plant-based 3-4 times a week and feel so much better for it – both physically and for the environmental impact.

If you want even more support, you could find a local cooking class that is either focused on vegan recipes or that uses organic foods.

Check out a farmer’s market

If you’re wanting to source ingredients for the above, or you simply want to enjoy a chill morning, then you’ll want to check out your local farmer’s market for produce grown close to home. You can get your fruit and vegetables for the week and grab a coffee to nurse on your travels.

If you enjoy the experience, it can become part of your regular weekend routine.

Have a fair-trade coffee date

Make your traditional coffee date more sustainable by actively finding a local cafe which uses fair-trade coffee.

Where I live, you can also download an app that cafes use after their busy hours have passed to sell product at a steep discount, rather than having it go to waste. See if your local area has something similar, so you can put in your belly what may have otherwise gone in a landfill.

Have a library date

One way of having an eco-friendly date is to make the use of resources designed for community use – in this instance by checking out your local library.

You can make a whole event of it by doing the library date night experience.

Go for a trash walk

The trash walk involves taking some trash bags and a couple of grabbers on your planned walking route. As you do, pick up all the trash you can find. You can get exercise and do something for your local environment at the same time.

Have a zero-waste picnic

As a Mad Men fan back in the day, one of my enduring memories of the show was when Don and Betty went on a picnic. At the end she “cleaned up” by dumping all their trash on the ground. It stuck in my mind as it made me remember how much worse we used to be with littering (cue also the flashbacks of throwing out my trash from the car window as a kid in the 70s).

Picnics are romantic and fun and can be eco-friendly, not only when you take your trash home with you, but also when you avoid single-use items. Think instead of reusable or compostable cups, cutlery, plates, napkins, food boxes / beeswax wrap and bottles to pop your food into (check out eco-friendly picnic supplies here).

Consider too what picnic food you can make at home thus saving on packaging.

You may also like: Romantic picnic food ideas for couples.

Help rid your region of invasive species

Not all plants are good plants – invasive species of plants can do damage to the local environment. Do some research into your local area (I find my community Facebook page to be a treasure trove of information on this topic) and consider how you can do your part towards ridding the environment of these noxious invaders.

Of course plants aren’t the only pests. One way you can get involved in protecting your region against invasive animals is by going on walks and reporting sightings as per your council guidelines. Some councils even have apps you can download to help you identify them.

Learn about environmental issues

Check out what’s on offer in your region when it comes to learning about environmental issues, especially when they include action you can take.

Plant a garden

Planting a garden together is a super bonding activity that gives back long after the date it done. Start by heading to the plant shop to make your selections (bonus points for selecting bee-friendly flowers). Then head home and plant your new garden out.

When we lived in the country and had a massive garden and orchard, my husband and I would come home from work and then walk around the property seeing how everything had grown. Consider checking out the progress of your new garden as one of your rituals to reconnect at the end of the day.

Plant a tree

Take the garden idea to the next level by planting a tree. Just make sure you consider how high the tree might grow over time and the impact it will have then. There’s nothing I find sadder than a large tree being cut down.

Stargaze

Head to an area with minimal light pollution or to your local observatory and check out the stars. It’s an awe-inspiring experience that makes you appreciate how amazing this world is that we live in.

Take a walk

Consider simply going for a walk. It’s a low key method for some high-quality connection. If you’re dining out, you can walk to your destination, or you walk can be the date in and of itself by going for a stroll or head into the hills for a hike.

Test drive a Tesla

Or if that’s not an option, any hybrid car. Tesla’s usually require you to pre-book so make sure you do so to avoid disappointment.

Try tandem biking

Not only is biking an zero carbon footprint date, it is also cute and romantic. Hire a tandem bike and cruise along the waterfront together.

Volunteer for a beach cleanup

There’s something about the beach that speaks to our souls, yet where there’s been people, there’s often trash left behind. With this eco-friendly date idea, you can give back to a place that gives you so much. Check your local Facebook group or equivalent for details of your next beach clean-up. If there isn’t any, consider taking a trash bag and some gloves and doing it together, or take it to the next level and organize a community clean-up session yourselves.

Summing up these eco-friendly date ideas

If you’re wanting your dating experiences to be a little greener, try these eco-friendly date ideas that range from having no or little environmental impact, to actively improving the environment we live in. Your partner and your planet will love you for it.

Have other eco-friendly date ideas? Share them in the comments.

Enjoyed these date ideas and want more? Try these date ideas for couples.