Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, if you haven’t been reminded a thousand times already by every industry and media outlet. For the college environmentalist, this holiday is the antithesis of all environmental ideals.

It is possible to shy away from the negatives of commercialism while incorporating the main point of Valentine’s Day – showing people you care. Though the classic cards, chocolate and flowers have adverse effects on the environment, there are alternatives.

Cards from Hallmark or various other companies can be simple mementos to those you care about, reminding them how you value their importance in your life.

Unfortunately, many of these cards go to waste after the holiday is over, ending up in the trash, or hopefully in paper recycling. What is more, the creation process includes unsustainably produced paper and chemicals to treat the paper.

But cards can still be a heartfelt reminder. If you want to send cards, look out for paper that is sustainably produced from managed trees, or paper that uses less or no toxic chemicals in the treatment process. There are even card companies today that use recycled paper to create these simple gifts.

Better yet, you can create your own cards with scrap paper and a little bit of love. With that, personalization will make the cards ever more special.

A classic Valentine’s Day also obliges flowers. They are a beautiful reminder of your love in the dead of winter, when flowers are not growing around Syracuse. But the lack of growing that occurs in February in the Northeast brings in a slew of negative environmental effects.

Flowers are often grown in hot greenhouses in the Northeast, calling for an immense amount of energy in the winter. If they’re not grown in this area, they are shipped from out of state, or even out of the country. This high transportation cost causes voluminous amounts of greenhouse gases to be released, as well as an increased use of fossil fuels.

Whether the flowers are grown in Syracuse or around the globe, they are often cultivated with enormous quantities of inorganic pesticides and fertilizers with environmentally harmful consequences. These include the creation of super bugs, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer runoff.

As the environmental degradation associated with freshly cut flowers comes to the forefront, many companies are stepping up to the plate with organic flowers and locally cultivated plants. Look out for these more sustainable options this holiday.

In the trifecta of Valentine’s Day gifts, a card and flowers may not be complete without chocolates. With so many variations to select, it’s important to keep an eye out for the more environmentally conscious products.

Chocolates have a fatal flaw – cocoa is only grown in the tropics. While these beans can be produced into chocolates closer to home, we cannot grow them here.

With that, many countries that produce cocoa are developing nations, where workers often have fewer rights and use cheaper practices for cultivation that can be environmentally degrading.

The best option for chocolates is to find fair trade or equal trade products that support farmers with a living wage and promote environmental practices. Also, look for products that are manufactured closer to home, to cut down on the already long transport from the equator.

Cards, flowers and chocolates will most likely remain Valentine’s Day staples. If that is the route you want to take for a happy holiday, try to take the more sustainable path. Just remember, what really matters are your loved ones, and not the items you give and receive.

Meg Callaghan is a junior environmental studies major at SUNY-ESF. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at mlcallag@syr.edu.

Published on February 13, 2013 at 2:00 am