Green Your Valentine’s Day: Conscious Cards

We know, we know: Valentine’s Day is nothing more than a Hallmark holiday, promoted mainly to increase consumerism. Or is it? Now you can show a little love for Mother Earth while celebrating the amorous occasion. This week we’re telling you how.

Tip #4: Give Green Greetings

More than 180 million cards are exchanged on Valentine’s Day. Since paper is made of trees, and paper mills use immense amounts of water and emit tons of chemicals, imagine the impact it would make if all those cards were recycled or electronic. Even recycled cards, though, end up in the landfill, where they emit methane as they decompose. One alternative is to make a card out of old magazines and wall calendars. Another is to give a card made of plantable seed paper; bury it and when the paper biodegrades, the seeds grow into wildflowers.

Bonus: For more about how to have a green Valentine’s Day, listen to this week’s Sierra Club Radio podcast.