Roses, Chocolates Can’t Sustain You; Green Up Your World This Valentine’s Day

If you are a diehard romantic, Valentine’s Day can’t come and go without splurging on sparklers, sweets and the ever-present bunch of red roses. The sparklers can vary in nature though, right from that coveted diamond ring to less expensive pieces of jewellery and the sparkling wines so artfully catching the light. But chocolates and roses are difficult to be replaced. For most of us, that whole package is an idée fixe as long as we care to celebrate the Valentine’s Day.

Yet, the gift of roses or chocolates or Valentine’s Day cards for that matter won’t make you happy if you are planning to celebrate a ‘green’ V-Day this year. Here’s a quick look at how our traditional Valentine’s Day celebration is hurting us and what we can do to make it a more sustainable, more lovable love day.

Chocolate, chocolate everywhere, but do you buy fair-trade products?
There’s plenty to shop and relish without even thinking who are producing those. An average couple in India spends around Rs 1,500-3,500 on Valentine’s Day, as per an ASSOCHAM survey, and quite predictably, chocolates top the V-Day gift list. In fact, in the US alone, people are expected to spend around $1.5 billion or more on chocolates during the week leading to the Valentine’s Day, as per industry estimates. Although we are ready to shell out big money on chocolate gifts, are we ready to pay a little extra for organic and fair-trade chocolate brands?

Believe it or not, a great amount of global cocoa production involves child labour. In contrast, “fair trade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world… Fair trade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives,” states Fairtrade Foundation.

As there are loads of chocolate companies that come with proper certifications, all you need to do is search for them on the Internet and find a local company. It may cost a bit more as people involved in the production process get fairly paid and work in healthy, humane settings. But that’s the least we can do to celebrate the day of love. After all, V-Day is all about bringing love and happiness to another’s life and buying fair-trade items is the first step you can take right now.

Roses cause high carbon impact; try field flowers.
The real price of flowers is not the money you are paying your florist but the environmental impact they are causing. According to a CNN report, the estimated number of roses grown for last year’s Valentine’s Day in the US amounted to 224 million. However, these typically produced some 20,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions while on their journey from fields to florists. When it comes to fresh cut flower trade worldwide, roses dominate the market. But as they mostly flourish in specific conditions (sunshine but not too much of heat and plenty of water), not all countries can grow these in natural environment. Most flowers grown commercially come from climate-controlled greenhouses and delivery of the same requires temperature-controlled trucks and cold boxes – thus enhancing the carbon footprint. That’s why environmentalists suggest buying local and seasonal flowers that not only cost less but keep the Earth pollution free. Try out the field flowers for a change or buy your sweetheart an offbeat decoration of leaves. Another great option is a potted plant to usher in a green Valentine’s Day. That’s one green gift that will live longer than the most expensive bouquet and remind your significant other of your evergreen presence.

V-Day cards & gift wraps: Save trees and grow them with seed paper.
How many V-Day cards are purchased all over the world? Approximately one billion, as per industry estimates, while Americans spend around $277 million on Valentine cards every year, second only to Christmas. As for gift wraps, they are another huge waste of paper. But in this age of digital media, it’s easy to cut down on such environmental waste. Just send in an e-card or buy cards made of recycled paper or better still, make one yourself from various knick-knacks or the half-forgotten ‘litter’ and ‘junk’ lying at every home. We came across a couple who jointly made a scrapbook for the V-Day, putting in all things that mattered in their journey together – right from first-date photographs to old cards they gave each other, the letters they wrote and so on. Interestingly, their kids are now going through those carefully and revelling in the romance of their somewhat stern parents.

As for wrapping paper, the green alternative has already come up in the form of seed paper. It’s a kind of handmade paper embedded with wildflower, herb or vegetable seeds – so that when you plant the paper, the seeds will germinate and grow into plants. Just buy some seed paper as gift wrap and ask the recipient to plant it in a pot or in his/her garden when the gifts have been unwrapped. It is approved for planting in the US, Canada, Europe and many other countries across the world. These are also available in India and you can easily buy them online.

Start loving yourself: Eat & drink green.
Take a deep breath, let your mind relax and let your body detox – so that you feel as fresh and energetic as the day. Forget the five-course dinner and the bubbly at a posh but confined restaurant. Go for a picnic lunch instead and stuff yourself with all things green. A big salad, steamed vegetables, plenty of fresh fruit/juice and some herbal tea laced with honey would be a welcome change to a jaded palate. How about picking up some organic food stuff on your way home and cooking an exotic dish for the two of you? But in case cooking makes you see red, choose an eatery that serves organic dishes and go for a ‘green food’ adventure. You are bound to remember the experience for a long time.

Celebrate another ‘love day' on Earth Day.
Ever thought of celebrating two V-Days in a year? If the traditional Valentine’s Day on February 14 keeps you too busy with all its gift rituals, chocolate charms and flower formalities, choose your ‘personal’ day of love when you and your significant other can spend some time together, working for the 'green' cause. It can be any day that both of you value – the day when you two first met; the day he proposed or the Earth Day itself (April 22). Plant trees; clean up your house/neighbourhood; buy some power/water-saving gadgets or get involved in any other activity that will help create a greener community. Do remember that Valentine’s Day is not about romantic love alone. It’s also about sharing love and this time, you are showing your commitment for Mother Earth. A little act of thoughtfulness not only works wonders for the good earth, but also makes you feel good inside. So green up your world, be happy and let love bloom this Valentine's Day.

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