Celebrate love and the planet with a more sustainable Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day may celebrate love with roses, teddy bears, jewelry, and chocolate. But like most holidays, it produces a lot of waste.
The first environmental impact comes from flowers. According to the Thompson Earth Systems Institute, approximately 80% of flowers are imported from other countries to the US, primarily from Ecuador and Colombia, where they are grown using high amounts of water, pesticides, and fertilizers.
There’s also the impact of transportation, meaning if you find a florist locally or purchase a potted plant, you lower the biggest flower carbon footprint. Plus, once the flowers arrive, they’re often wrapped in plastic and tossed within a week or two.
It also helps if you snag your chocolates or sweet treat from a local shop.
Making your own cards or choosing a digital option could save some of the 145 million that end up in landfills every year, according to the Thompson Earth Systems Institute.
You may be thinking about how many cards are initially made of paper, but most cannot be recycled due to the materials used to design them – glitter, foil, ribbons, beads, plastics, and other embellishments.
Lastly, find an experience over a physical gift, or try your hand at thrifting gifts. This can be books, clothes, or even jewelry, which often saves you lots of money!
We can still celebrate love while reducing our impact on the planet, with sustainable alternatives.
Contact Brittany Van Voorhees at bvanvoorhe@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
