Love is in the air

Ahhh Valentine's Day ... that romantic celebration where we pamper our loved ones with special treats. As with most of our celebrations, Valentine's Day is often filled with less than Eco-friendly items ... huge boxes of candy with a lot of excess packaging, cards which end up in the trash bin, non-organic flowers and even jewelry containing materials which are mined from the earth. In truth, it doesn't seem very loving to exchange gifts which hurt our environment. So let's examine some common Valentine's Day gifts.

Chocolate

Almost everyone likes chocolate. And ... good news ... chocolate is actually heart healthy. But before you go running off to the store for that heart-shaped box of confections, understand that not all chocolate is created equal. Raw cocoa is filled with antioxidants, bioflavonoids, and magnesium ... all good for us. Unfortunately, milk chocolate doesn't share those benefits because adding in dairy products prevents our body from absorbing the "good stuff". And white chocolate isn't really chocolate at all ... it's a mixture of cocoa butter, sugar and vanilla extract. Both milk chocolate and white chocolate often contain hydrogenated oils (bad, bad stuff). Look for dark chocolates with a high percentage of chocolate liquor ... this number is like a badge of honor to manufacturers who produce quality chocolate so if you don't see it on the label, it probably isn't good quality. Be sure to choose certified organic varieties so that your treats don't come with pesticide residue. To ensure that the environment and cocoa farmers are being protected, choose Fair Trade chocolate. One word of caution ... even quality, earth-friendly chocolate contains fat. It's heart-healthy fat similar to fats found in avocados and olives ... but it's still fat. So let moderation be your guide!

Flowers

Giving a bouquet of flowers is sure to bring a smile to your loved one's face. That is, until your loved one thinks about the cost. No, I'm not talking about the amount of money spent (although that might be an issue as well) ... I'm talking about the environmental cost. Did you know that 85 percent of fresh cut flowers are imported primarily from South America? In 2008 I wrote an article about why fresh flowers are a problem (you can read that post HERE) ... and it seems that things have only gotten worse since then. So, if you must give flowers, choose organic varieties which are locally grown. Consider giving plants or trees instead but ... be sure to ask about where they were grown and how because they can also come from far distances and/or contain pesticides. Here's a clever idea ... choose a dozen packets of flower seeds, attach them to bamboo skewers and tie them together with a ribbon to create a unique, earth-friendly bouquet.

Jewelry

On the most romantic of all days, many couples get engaged. Others express their love with fine jewelry. Diamonds and gold top the list of gems and precious metals used in our most cherished pieces. But what if each piece came with a disclaimer stating that things like mercury, cyanide, and dynamite were used to mine these precious materials? What if, as in the case with "Blood Diamonds", slaves were forced to unearth the gems? Yes, the truth is that the mining process has traditionally been one which destroys the landscape by displacing tons of earth (which typically isn't "put back"), uses toxic chemicals to extract materials and has been associated with slavery. These beautiful pieces don't look so brilliant when we know the facts. When choosing jewelry, look for pieces with recycled gems and metals. If buying new, find out if the materials were mined in an ethical and sustainable method. Consider fair trade items or think outside the box and choose alternate "gems" such as sea glass. Be sure that your "bling" truly represents love and respect.

All The Rest

Cards, parties, going out for dinner ... these are all typical ways that we celebrate Valentine's Day. Here's a question ... how many greeting cards do you actually save? Most people don't save them and that equals a lot of waste. Send egreetings instead ... there are some lovely versions available. If you must send an actual card, make sure it's printed on recycled paper using Eco-friendly ink. Parties are a great way to show your friends that you care ... but they typically include a lot of waste. Reusable plates and utensils, Eco-friendly decorations and plant-based foods will ensure that your party is both fun and kind to the planet. Perhaps your celebration includes a lovely meal at a fine restaurant. Choose a local establishment which employes Eco-friendly, sustainable practices. Do they include local foods on their menu ... are their "take away" containers made of earth-friendly materials ... do they use energy-efficient lighting ... is cooking oil recycled ... do they compost their food scraps? Planning your celebration wisely will ensure that everyone enjoys the event without worry.

Valentine's Day is an advertiser's dream ... they know that we all want to express our feelings to loved ones. So they seduce us with beautiful colors and frills ... and tell us that their products are the best way to say "I love you". But if we purchase items which are full of waste or which include materials that hurt our environment, we're really saying that we don't care. This Valentine's Day, give the gift that respects both the earth and the recipient ... a gift that truly says "I Care".

Now it's your turn ... how do you plan to celebrate Valentine's Day?

Image courtesy of Phaitoon / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Rainforests - Part Four

This is part four, and the final article, of our rainforest discussion. You can read earlier discussions here: Part One, Part Two and Part Three. Today we'll continue talking about products that hurt the rainforest and how we can help.

Bananas

One of the biggest causes of deforestation of rainforests is clearing for export agriculture. Bananas are the world’s most popular fruit -- and with a market of nearly $5 billion a year, the most important food crop after rice, wheat and maize. They are an economic pillar in many tropical countries, providing millions of jobs for rural residents. But for much of its history, the banana business was known for widespread deforestation, poor waste disposal, the pollution of coral reefs and nearby watersheds and the excessive use of toxic agrochemicals. To read an earlier article on Bananas, please click HERE).

When buying bananas, opt for organic and fair trade varieties. Since finding them in most grocery stores is difficult, I suggest writing letters to grocery chains, asking them for organic, fair trade bananas. If you do this, be prepared to hear back from both grocery stores and companies such as Del Monte, who recently wrote to me, saying that their policies ensure sustainable practices and fair treatment of farmers and workers. I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt, however ... I have yet to see the fair trade label on bananas in my local market. Consequently, I have stopped buying bananas and instead opt for fruits that are sustainably grown and produced with fair labor practices.

Aluminum

Aluminum products start out as mined ore, mainly bauxite, which is mined, mostly in tropical and sub-tropical areas – Africa, West Indies, South America and Australia. As we've already learned, roads constructed for mining purposes contribute heavily to deforestation. Once the Bauxite is extracted, it is refined into aluminum oxide trihydrate (alumina) and then electrolytically reduced into metallic aluminum. This process uses primary aluminum production facilities located all over the world, often in areas where there are abundant supplies of inexpensive energy, such as hydro-electric power. In the Amazon, massive hydroelectric plants (dams) have been built on the rivers. These dams are responsible for the flooding of vast areas of pristine rainforests.

How can we make a difference? Avoid disposable containers whenever possible. Recycle all aluminum. If you have the choice between glass and aluminum ... choose glass ... it takes less energy to create.

Gold

Gold is found in the rainforests of Brazil, Ghana, Columbia and Peru (among others). Extracting it is frequently a destructive activity that damages the ecosystem and causes problems for people living nearby and downstream from mining operations. In the Amazon rainforest most mining today revolves around alluvial gold deposits. Due to the meandering nature of Amazon rivers, gold is found both in river channels and on the floodplains where rivers once ran. These deposits are actively mined by large-scale operators and informal, small-scale miners. Both operators rely heavily on hydraulic mining techniques, blasting away at river banks, clearing floodplain forests, and using heavy machinery to expose potential gold-yielding gravel deposits. Unfortunately, rainforests that can, provide either gold or forest benefits, but not both ... and gold is big business.

Here are a few things that we can do ... instead of buying gold jewelry, look for platinum or titanium ... both make lovely pieces. If you have broken or unused items of gold, recycle them (most jewelers will buy them for reuse in new pieces).


Coffee and Chocolate

Who doesn't enjoy a wonderful cup of coffee ... or a decadent piece of chocolate. Both coffee and cocoa beans grow on tropical trees. The problem is that large commercial growers cut down sections of the rainforest to grow coffee and cocoa ... in the sun. Ironically, these trees actually prefer the shade offered by the canopy of the forest. When industrial methods are used, not only does deforestation happen, but a great deal of pollution happens ... sun grown cocoa and coffee need a lot of fertilizer and pesticides to grow.

When buying coffee and chocolate, choose shade grown or fair trade varieties. Again ... fair trade varieties will be labeled as such.

We've talked a great deal about various products which affect the rainforests of the world. These are not the only ones. Still others include rayon, flowers, palm oil and soy. Some of these items destroy forest trees for their hidden treasures ... others precipitate deforestation for farms.

It is clear that our purchases have power and along with that power comes a responsibility to know where products come from and avoid those that hurt any environment, especially the rainforest.

For additional reading on rainforests, I suggest the following two sites:

Rainforest Relief
Mongabay - Tropical Rainforest Conservation

That wraps up our series on Rainforests. As I said in the beginning, it's an expansive subject and these four posts, by no means, cover the topic completely. But they do give us a few things to think about. I learned a lot this week ... I hope you did, as well!

As always ... I would love to hear from you!