It’s not just Christmas that is a huge waste of time and money, resulting in tons of garbage. Valentines Day is fast approaching. Like Xmas it’s all about marketing that equates love with money. You have to buy cards, flowers, heart-shaped balloons, and so on, otherwise do you really love someone?
Stop, in the Name of Love (and Planet)
Say no to the crass consumerism of this this Hallmark holiday. If you want to celebrate it, do it without the gifts and waste. You don’t need to buy stuff for the occasion.
Last year for Valentine’s Day we took a virtual trip to China. Still in lockdown, we decided to put together a home-cooked meal, make personalized fortune cookies, and watch related content such as films and virtual tours. It was a lot of fun!
One of the reasons that consumerism is so infectious is that there is happiness in not only acquiring things, but the anticipation of acquiring things. You excitedly look forward to getting the thing. It makes you happy to think about that future moment in time when you get it.
Vacation anticipation is a real thing. Part of the happiness and joy of a vacation is not just the vacation itself. It is looking forward to the date when it finally arrives. It’s thinking about and planning what you will do. What will you see? What will you eat? What experiences will you have?
You get these benefits with a virtual vacation as well, but at a tiny fraction of the carbon footprint of ‘real’ travel. We enjoyed researching vegan Chinese food recipes. I found a good virtual tour of the Great Wall of China on YouTube. My hubby found a Chinese film to watch. I made this menu as a souvenir of the trip.
#LowWasteLove
Skip the cheap drugstore gifts. Ditch the balloons. Despite being a plant commercially-grown flowers are very bad for the environment. Find your own creative, low-waste ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day without gifts. Share with us on social media using the hashtag #LowWasteLove. It’s Mother Earth who needs us to show her the love most of all.
Christmas Climate Strike 