Valentine’s Day has evolved into a multibillion-dollar industry. Shopping centres and malls are filled with red coloured roses, unique flowers and many type of specialized gifts. Nowadays, many people buy roses that last a year to protect our environment according to lamouretfleurs. In addition, special chocolates are made along with celebrity food and soft drinks are also consumed.
It is estimated that over one billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent globally which when laid end to end would stretch around the world five times. Over 36 million V boxes of chocolates are sold each year. All of the products purchased and consumed cause more carbon dioxide emissions than driving around the entire world almost 4,000 times.
While the Valentine’s Day activities may be casual or formal, yet it has a great impact on the environment in terms of generation of greenhouse gases and huge quantity of waste generated, which has to be stored, transported and disposed.
Go Green this Valentine’s Day and celebrate it in an eco-friendly manner to avoid any harm to nature. Read on for several useful tips for an eco friendly Valentine’s Day:
1. Avoid Paper
Let us avoid paper, cards, envelopes, cardboard, boxes, wrappings, bags, ribbons and other decorative items etc. We can adopt and use alternatives, instead of buying and sending cards with envelopes, use e-cards, emails and messages. This will save a lot of paper, trees and water and will avoid air, water and soil pollution.
Paper-making uses tons of toxic chemicals and also emits pollutants that contribute to acid rain and global warming. In addition, considerable landfill space will be saved due to disposal of these materials, once disposed.
2. Use Recycled Paper
Cards can also be made with recycled paper but even paper recycling can add to pollution due to the sludge produced during the de-inking process. We can also recycle the cards and exchange the same Valentine’s Day card next year with some difference, if it is to be used.
Instead of buying a card, we can spend some time and make card of our own. Taking the time and effort to make a card shows we care, saves money, and helps reduce waste around our home.
3. Green Gifts
Instead of giving real roses, trees and indoor plants can be gifted, which has the natural ability to clean pollution and helps to fight climate change.
Many common houseplants act as an air purifier, removing toxins from the air we breathe. They are known to produce oxygen from CO2 and they absorb toxins including benzene (gasoline, inks, oils, paints, plastics and rubber), formaldehyde and/or trichloroethylene (printing inks, paints, lacquers, varnishes and adhesives).
4. Make Gifts Yourself
Gifts are an essential for the day. We can show our loved one how much we care by making a gift instead of buying one. Everyone loves a gift, but receiving a handmade gift will have more of an emotional value. This could save money and reduce waste by removing the need for excessive packaging.
While giving gifts, natural perfumes and fragrances and items of household use can also be given. Gift wrappers are other item of concern.
5. Reuse Packaging
If you receive a Valentine’s Day gift wrapped in a sheet, don’t rip it up. Save the paper for another occasion, use yesterday’s newspaper or magazine as an alternative to wrapping paper. Avoid using fancy candles especially in the bedroom as burning petroleum-based candles can actually diminish the air quality in a room.
Celebrate the Valentine ’s Day as a zero waste day and in a green manner.
- 5 Tips for an Eco friendly Valentine’s Day - February 13, 2023