The Environmental Impact of Valentine’s Day and How You Can Help
Each year on Valentine's Day, millions of cards are sent and millions of roses and chocolates are given by millions of people all around the world. From flower and chocolate spending to dining out and traveling, Valentine’s Day is worth over $27 billion in the United States alone. It is definitely a widely-celebrated occasion and not many would want to miss it.
A few fast consumption-related facts about Valentine’s Day:
- 224 million roses are grown for Valentine’s Day globally
- Over 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold each year just on the day itself
- $145 is the average amount US consumers are estimated to spend for Valentine's Day-related gifts
- The approximate number of cards exchanged on Valentine's Day is 144 million
Valentine’s day is surely a big business event and while it’s impressive how this holiday can boost sales for most businesses, it’s also important to note how much waste it generates. Majority of the environmental impact of Valentine’s Day comes from the waste made from disposing of flowers, paper, plastic packaging, bottles, and cards. Many of them can’t even be recycled so most of this waste goes straight to landfills. However, making Valentine’s Day eco-friendly requires just a few changes to make sure that gifts are bought with sustainability in mind.
Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas with Sustainability in Mind
Show a bit of extra love for the environment by carefully considering the gifts you buy. Here are some ideas:
- Ditch manufactured cards for handmade or cards that are made from recycled or tree-free paper
- Or consider sending an ecard instead
- Buy fair trade or vegan chocolates
- Support locally-grown flowers
- Or simply swap cut flowers for potted plants
- Make a donation to an environmental organization on behalf of your loved one
- Book your dinner date at a local restaurant that specializes in organic or locally sourced food.
- Buy presents that will be used for a long time
- Buy responsibly sourced jewelry
- Support local bakeries or bake your own desserts
- Gift experiences or make time for your partner
Remember to show our planet a little love if you can. We can make Valentine’s Day more meaningful by trying to be thoughtful consumers who are willing to find a way to reduce the negative environmental impact brought by this holiday.
To know about our services or for more sustainability tips, feel free to reach out to us at Complete Solutions
