Green is the new red — students and activists are celebrating Valentines Day without chocolates, flowers or teddy bears

• A college in Tamil Nadu is celebrating Valentine's Day by scattering seeds on hillsides.
  
• Brands are also jumping on the 'green is my Valentine' bandwagon by promoting sustainable solutions and conducting contests on Twitter.
  
• Florists are caught between the divide of offering reusable packaging for real flowers or letting users opt for fake flowers.
  

'Green is my Valentine' is the theme for many people on Valentine's Day. From businesses to students, people are on a planet-friendly kick to keep away from products that could hurt the environment.

One college in India — Surana College in Tamil Nadu — collects seeds from fruits that they've consumed and put them in a collection box. On Valentine's Day, they turn their collection into seed balls that are scattered in hilly areas.

Meanwhile, the United Nations and Bollywood stars like Dia Mirza are championing the cause of eliminating single-use plastic.


Companies like Alstom India have also jumped on the bandwagon and are promoting their "love" for a sustainable planet. Other are using the opportunity to sell Earth-themed merchandise. Others are hosting contests for people to prove their love for the planet.




Plastic roses or real ones?
One of the biggest pain points of Valentine's Day is roses. While some believe that people should abandon roses altogether, others feel that the alternative of giving fake flowers is even worse than handing out the real thing.

Big-wig florists like Ferns N Petals are trying to keep the trend of flowers up and running by offering eco-friendly alternatives.

"We have always been conscious about the environment and for over a year now, we've been ensuring that plastic usage is minimal," Pawan Gadia, CEO on online and retail at Ferns N Petals told New Indian Express.

Start-ups like MyFlowerTree.com and Rose Boutique India have shifted to paper packaging and box arrangements. MyFlowerTree founder Sumit Chhabra believes that even artificial sprays should not be used to increase the "aesthetic value" of flowers.

Co-founders Safar Pahwa and Sadhavi Chawla also encourage their customers to reuse flower boxes for storage or decoration.

So, this year, if your Valentine is planet Earth — break up with single-use plastic, plant a tree or re-cycle items around the house to express your love.

See also:
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