Valentine’s Day… A celebration of lovers which unfortunately today rhymes with ecological disaster. This day impacts our carbon footprint in such a way that it alone embodies ignorance of the issues behind our way of consuming. Here are (a few) examples, accompanied by their alternatives to have a Valentine’s Day that does not damage hearts or the planet!
Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to show our love for the one who shares our life. And although there are many love languages… Roses and chocolate come up often.
“Happiness is the art of making a bouquet with the flowers that are within our reach.”
Let’s start with red roses, symbols of love… Or not, when we know that 22 million bouquets of roses are sold each year in France, and that a bouquet of 20 roses represents a Paris-London round trip by plane. To your calculators… Not to mention that 85% of the flowers sold for Valentine’s Day are imported, most of the time from Kenya, Ethiopia or even Colombia, and that up to 76 different pesticides are used for them. cultivate. This is an example ofaberrationaberration ecological, both on a human and environmental level.
And yet, the floral diversity of our country at this time seasonseason don’t miss it! Scabious, buttercups, anemones, MimosaMimosa, camelliascamellias… Not more expensive, local and seasonal flowers limit the intermediaries between consumer and producer. And for those with a green thumb, opt for bulbs to plant in the ground the following year (tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, etc.), or potted plants. The must ? Plant your flowers yourself! Yes yes, even in a planter on a balconybalcony right in the middle winterwinterit’s possible (snowdropsnowdroppansy, violet, jasmine, crocus…).
In the end, we lighterlighter her carbon footprintcarbon footprint, we breathe less phytosanitary substances in our homes, while demonstrating great social solidarity in our country. So, convinced?
Fair sweetness is better for all…
Another of the most common and most appreciated offerings… I named: chocolate. But not just any one, please. Because you should know that manufacturers resort to massive deforestation in tropical regions to cultivate cocoa, which impoverishes the soil and kills the biodiversitybiodiversity. The chocolate industry is also a humanitarian scandal: structured around slavery and corruption, no less than 250,000 children are exploited by this industry in Ivory Coast, where ⅔ of production comes from. worldwide.
There are alternatives that respect human rights and the environment, relying in particular on fair trade labels. The latter guarantees a minimum remuneration for farmers, a collective development bonus, and a transparencytransparency on the traceabilitytraceability of the materialsmaterials raw materials, which most often come fromEcuadorEcuadorfrom Peru or the Dominican Republic, just to leave alone the 80% of Ivorian forests destroyed in 60 years of exploitation.
It’s the intention that counts!
We end with some generalities on the (over)consumption of goods: jewelry, lingerie, cosmetics… And even gastronomy! The principle is simple: we pay attention to the origin, favoring short circuits and local manufacturing. We pay attention to the working conditions in which it was produced, and to the composition, both for our health and that of other inhabitants of this planet. Without forgetting that there is second hand, and of course, homemade!
As they say, it’s the intention that counts… In short, overall, we try to consume less and when we do so, it’s in awareness of what the purchase implies! And for those who want to extend the festivities with a romantic weekend, forget the plane, the most polluting means of transport in the world. Favor travel by train, which emits 20 times less CO2CO2 per passenger, or set off to discover regions closer to home, whose hidden wonders we are often unaware of!
As you will have understood, the aim of this article is not to conclude with “Owe don’t do anything, we don’t offer each other anything “, but rather to show you that celebrating Valentine’s Day in a way that is more respectful of humans and the planet is possible! And if that’s not universal love…
