Valentine waste woes

Roses are red, violets are blue, but don’t forget the environment, it needs your love too.

Roses are red, violets are blue, but don’t forget the environment, it needs your love too

This Valentine’s Day will see glittered paper, packaging and flower waste increase substantially only to come to a miserable end in the bin! However, romance doesn’t need to be dead instead make a vow of a different nature and embrace these environmentally loving tips.  
 
If you want the environment to love you back this Valentine’s Day, avoid buying cards covered in glitter or foil wrapping paper as they cannot be recycled, these items alone will mean that across the country a staggering amount of waste will end up at a landfill site.
 
Say I love you with a hand crafted card. If you are the creative type producing a thoughtful handmade card using old magazines and card’s you already have is more meaningful than a shop bought card. If you are not so handy with a glue stick you can always opt for an eye catching animated e-card, which can be personalised to be really special.
 
Make your own homemade chocolate truffles, as this saves on packaging and will definitely be worthy of some major brownie points.
 
Instead of buying roses why not buy seasonal flowers from environmentally minded shops such as Tregothnan (https://tregothnan.co.uk/). There are many flower companies in the UK whose business practices are sustainable for the environment, use minimal flower miles and sell seasonally. Also when your flowers are finished with, don’t forget to compost them. 
 
Lastly, forget tacky presents that end up in the bin and go for quality time spent together over a romantic meal or think about wooing your loved one with a romantic surprise such as breakfast in bed or a nice massage. These gestures, still show genuine affection and literally don’t cost the earth.