It’s one of the craziest time of year, Valentines day! The day when we all get hit by cupid’s arrow and give cards, candies and gifts to loved ones. But all those cards, gifts, and wrappings take a toll for the eco-conscious consumer. How about taking some time out this year and making things a little greener, reducing you carbon footprint, whilst still showing you loved ones that you care. Today we’ll consider alternatives to Valentines cards. Valentines day is the second biggest card exchanging holiday, second only to Christmas. According to Hallmark half of the population of the US celebrates Valentines day by purchasing at least one greeting card (2006 figures) and 85% of those cards are bought by women.
Condense your list
Honestly I was shocked when I came to the USA to find that generally school children send Valentine cards to ALL their classmates. This concept is really strange to us Europeans. Valentines is meant as an occasional where lovers can declare their true love, and where secret loves can be revealed. Sending a card to everyone in your class makes it less special and I don’t really see the point behind this? It seems an extremely wasteful day when you are sending cards to 25 children. Why not instead send cards to 1 or 2 people? Reducing the amount of cards you send, reduces your carbon footprint.
E-cards
Almost everyone is online already, how about sending an Electronic greeting card, or e-card? There are websites that offer free (and paid) services where you can pick your card design, type your greeting, enter the email and you are done. The recipient receives these e-cards via email with a link to the website to view their card. The great thing about these websites is you can now receive the cards on your mobile phone. If your recipient is techno savvy these e-greetings are a great way to reduce the need for paper consumption.
Do it yourself
Homemade cards mean so much more to recipients than the mass produced cards. I would much rather receive a card that some took the time and effort to make than a card they took 2 minutes to pick up in a store. Each handmade card is it’s own work of art, and putting that time and effort in really shows how much you care. Homemade cards can be great for the environment too if you recycle. I’ve used lots of household items on my crafting projects.
Think outside the cardstock and paper this Valentines day and consider how your card sending is impacting the environment!
