Whether you're looking for a special gift to show your Valentine how much you care or just want to celebrate love in an environmentally friendly way, there are plenty of ways to do it. Let's look at some typical Valentine's Day gifts, their environmental impact, and how to make these choices more eco-friendly.
Roses
Red roses may look pretty, but they're also one of the most environmentally damaging flowers around. They're often grown using intense irrigation systems that require huge amounts of water, and they are sprayed with toxic pesticides that can damage the soil, water, and the environment.
There are plenty of eco-friendly ways to celebrate Valentine's Day. You can skip the roses altogether and gift a bouquet of houseplants instead, or opt for flower seeds and propagated plants for a more sustainable alternative to cut flowers.
Thankfully, there are a lot of ways to make flowers more sustainable - and the biggest thing is to choose locally grown ones that are in season. If you're buying roses, it's important to ask where they've been grown and to choose a local florist that is dedicated to sustainability.
Most roses are imported from countries in South America or Africa, where they're grown with intensive irrigation systems and sprayed with toxic chemicals. These practices can cause serious health issues for workers and are detrimental to the environment.
To ship roses internationally, they must be transported in refrigerated trucks and airplane holds - which are usually filled with other flowers, creating significant carbon emissions. In 2018, a study found that the air travel involved in shipping roses to US airports generated 360,000 tons of carbon dioxide. It's estimated that 80% of cut flowers sold in the US for Valentine's Day are shipped internationally.
Another big contributor to the carbon footprint of imported flowers is labor. Roses in glass greenhouses are usually grown with up to 100,000 workers in Columbia, many of whom work in unsafe conditions. During times of peak demand, like Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, farms triple their labor.
Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to choose flowers that are more sustainable, and it's up to consumers to educate their loved ones and purchase locally-grown, organic alternatives. In addition, there are several certifications that you can look for when purchasing flowers, including the GlobalG.A.P., Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, and the Earth-Kind designations.
If you're planning to give your loved one flowers, avoid supermarket bouquets. They are usually drenched in toxic chemicals and are grown in huge quantities with little regard for the environment.
For something a little more special, give your loved one a rose that never dies. This could be a painting, a photo, or a trip to a rose garden that your valentine will always remember.
Chocolate
Chocolate is a signature treat for many on Valentine's Day, but unfortunately, it can have a negative environmental impact. Chocolate production has been linked to deforestation, water pollution, and poor working conditions.
The cocoa beans used to make chocolate are grown in tropical climates in West African countries like Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Cameroon. The remainder of cocoa beans is grown in similar climates within Peru, Indonesia, Venezuela, and other Central American countries. In fact, 70% of the world's cocoa beans come from West African countries, where rainforests are being cleared to make room for more farms. This deforestation is leading to the loss of habitat for wildlife and the loss of carbon storage capacity in soils which can contribute to global warming. In addition, deforestation leads to soil erosion and can contribute to water pollution if chemicals used in farming runoff into rivers and streams.
Chocolate production also requires vast amounts of water resources; it takes roughly 450 gallons of water to produce a 100g chocolate bar. Water scarcity due to climate change is exacerbating this issue as farmers struggle with a lack of access to clean water for their crops.
On top of environmental concerns, chocolate production is often linked with exploitative labor practices in both growing and processing cocoa beans. Poor working conditions have been reported in many cocoa plantations in West Africa including inconsistent wages or even unpaid laborers, child labor, and modern-day slavery. There are certifications available that make sure producers adhere to certain standards when it comes to human rights such as Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa beans but not all producers use this certification process so it’s important for consumers to be aware of where their chocolate is coming from.
Valentine's Day shoppers looking for eco-friendly chocolates there are some things they can look out for when making their purchases such as sustainably sourced cocoa beans or organic labeling which means fewer chemicals are used during the growing process. It’s also important that companies provide transparency on where their chocolate comes from so consumers know they’re buying ethical products made with respect towards workers in the supply chain as well as respect towards nature.
If you are planning to buy your loved one chocolates for Valentine's Day, be aware that they can have a big impact on the environment. It's estimated 36 million heart-shaped chocolates are sold each year for Valentine's Day and the total GHG emissions associated with them are nearly as high as those of the entire Christmas market.
So, if you are going to give your loved one chocolates this Valentine's Day, choose eco-friendly and sustainable ones from brands that care about people and the planet. These include fair trade and organic options.
Buying your loved one chocolate made with organic, fair-trade ingredients is a great way to support ethical business practices and a better life for the farmers who produce the cocoa beans used in chocolate production. You can also look for chocolate boxes made from recycled materials or with upcycled ingredients, to help keep waste out of the landfill.
Clothing
If you're looking for a Valentine's Day gift that's both environmentally friendly and celebrates love, consider clothing that celebrates love and gives back to environmental causes. Not only does it make you feel great (and comfortable), but it also helps the planet.
Sustainable brands often use organic fabrics that have been grown without toxic pesticides or fertilizers. They may also be using recycled materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. This is a growing trend because it is a more ethical way to go than purchasing traditional cotton, which has been grown using harmful chemicals.
Here at Melomys, we're dedicated to minimizing our environmental impact. Our company has a number of initiatives in place to ensure sustainability, such as carbon-neutral deliveries and planting 5 trees for each item purchased. Melomys is committed to using organic fabrics whenever possible and sources its materials from ethical suppliers. All of the company's products are made with eco-friendly and sustainable materials, such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and Tencel.
Furthermore, Melomys has partnered with the global non-profit One Tree Planted which help make sure that the trees planted are cared for properly until they become established enough to sustain themselves. This helps guarantee that the forest will remain healthy for generations to come.
If you're curious why this is important, read more about why planting trees isn't always good for the planet.
We have new designs focused on celebrating the love of others, yourself, the outdoors, and the planet. If you are thinking about bringing the planet centerstage this Valentine's Day, we've got a gift for you! Check out our Valentine's Day Collection.
Finally, if you want to give something tangible without hurting the environment too much, why not buy something secondhand? Charity shops often carry vintage items that are unique but also affordable and support worthy causes at the same time. By buying preloved goods like books, jewelry pieces, or clothing items from thrift stores or online resale sites like eBay or Depop you can show your significant other how much you care about them while cutting back on resource use in production and transportation significantly!
Cards
One of the most common ways to express love is by sending cards. In fact, it is estimated that 145 million cards are sent in the US for Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, a lot of these cards often end up in landfills.
It's a huge problem, but there are things you can do instead that are more sustainable. First, you can make your own cards using recycled materials like paper and cardboard. This will save money in the long run and help the environment. If you want to take it a step further and go truly eco-friendly, try making your own cards. You can make DIY Seed Paper Valentine's Day cards that are not only cute but can be planted after Valentine's Day! You can buy premade seed paper, or make it yourself with some simple items you might already have at home!
Another great way to be more environmentally friendly is to avoid using plastic cards altogether. You can also choose cards that don't have embellishments, such as foil or plastic glitter, which can be difficult to recycle once the card is no longer in use.
Many card issuers are choosing to use more eco-friendly options in their cards. Moreover, some issuers are even making their cards from organic, plant-based materials. This helps reduce the amount of plastic used in the manufacturing process and enables them to lower their carbon footprint.
You can also find many different types of greeting cards that are made from a variety of recycled materials, and that doesn't use any plastic at all!
Some other great options for cards that are made from sustainable materials can be found at Paper Culture. They offer a wide selection of photo cards and other holiday greetings that are printed on recycled paper or bamboo.
Worthwhile Paper is another fantastic company that makes beautiful cards that are crafted from paper that's been recycled. The company uses water-based inks and the paper is screen printed in Michigan.
Experiences
Experiences can be an eco-friendly Valentine's Day gift that is both meaningful and memorable. A thoughtful experience-based gift can create memories that will last a lifetime and help reduce the environmental impact of buying gifts by reducing waste, energy, and resources.
One way to give your significant other a unique and special Valentine's Day experience is to plan a romantic evening outdoors. Whether it's taking a hike together or stargazing from your backyard, getting out into nature is a great way to spend some quality time with your partner while still helping to preserve the environment. If you live in a warmer climate, consider planning an outdoor picnic or beach day in place of dinner out. This will help you save on energy since you won't need to eat at a restaurant and you'll get to enjoy the fresh air instead of being cooped up indoors.
If you're looking for something more intimate, consider an at-home spa night using all-natural products. Natural ingredients are better for the environment than synthetic chemicals and, when used properly, can make all the difference when it comes to relaxation. You could even put together a nice basket filled with natural beauty supplies like lotions, bath bombs, essential oils, face masks, etc., that are all made from sustainable sources such as recycled materials or organic ingredients.
Another great eco-friendly idea for Valentine's Day is donating to an environmentally-focused cause in your partner's name. There are many global organizations out there doing important work to protect our planet such as Greenpeace or The Nature Conservancy that accept donations of any size and would be grateful for your support on this special day!
This Valentine's Day, show your love for the environment with eco-friendly gifts.
There are lots of great options available that use recycled materials or no plastic at all, such as Paper Culture and Worthwhile Paper. You can also make your own DIY Seed Paper Valentines to encourage a green mindset in those you care about. No matter what type of card or gift you choose, it's sure to be appreciated while also helping reduce waste and pollution this season!
There are so many other great ways to show your love for the environment and help make a positive impact. Consider shopping from sustainable brands like Melomys, which sources their materials from ethical suppliers and uses carbon-neutral deliveries. You can also reduce your carbon footprint by choosing gifts that don't require plastic packaging or recycling what you already have instead of buying something new. It's important to remember that even small changes can add up to make a big difference - not just today but for generations to come! So this Valentine’s Day, let’s all do our part to show the planet some love. Happy Valentine’s Day!
