Written by Rachel Haynes, Staff Writer
‘Tis the season of love, happy couples, and an unnecessary amount of heart-shaped boxes filled with chocolate in every store! But what sinister side does this romantic facade hide?
Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, let us take a moment to reflect on how ridiculous the blurring of holidays has become. Not only does the capitalist view of holidays ruin the cheer around them, but it also harms our environment.
Each year, as we see consumerism take over, the spirit of the season is shattered. We see Christmas-themed gifts during Thanksgiving, and Valentines Day chocolates in December. Every year, these holidays bleed into each other more and more until we eventually cannot even tell what time of year it is when walking into your local Target. In a few years, I would not be surprised if we see Christmas decorations during summer! (I mean, we already have Christmas in July, would it really be that crazy to say?)
As a result of this trend, the holidays become rushed and meaningless, destroying the joy and feeling behind it. Take Valentine’s Day for example; it is supposed to be a time where you are reminded of the people you love, and show your appreciation for them. Instead, you feel forced to buy buy buy! This completely strips the meaning away from this day. It is not about buying the biggest bouquet of roses, or getting the perfect gift, and it is certainly not supposed to be about buying an excessive amount of Valentine’s Day goods. It’s unfortunate to watch this day of love become commercialized.
As well as destroying the true essence of each holiday, there are also environmental repercussions that come along with them. While some stores heavily discount their items or save them for next year, most businesses find it is much cheaper to simply toss them away which leaves many left over items rotting in a landfill. There they accumulate with tons of garbage and begin to produce greenhouse gases like methane, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. These gases are harmful for the environment as they contribute to global warming, with methane being the worst culprit.
Our world already faces enough environmental issues, and the excess plastic casing or wrapping during a day like Valentine’s is just adding insult to injury. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, “460 million metric tons of plastic” are produced annually, and roughly “20 million of those end up somewhere in the environment.” I understand that only a small percentage of this is due to Valentine’s Day, but when you add up just the waste from Thanksgiving to New Years, Americans produce “25 million extra tons of plastic” that end up in our oceans, according to marine biologists. This leads to poor wildlife health and contributions to global warming. And this does not even factor in other large plastic producing holidays such as Valentine’s or Fourth of July.
Seeing this trend is quite depressing. If you want to avoid feeling this way this Valentine’s, why not make something that comes from the heart? Reinstall the meaning of this day by hand-making cards for each of your friends or taking your time and making a sock monkey for your loved one. Remember to care about your planet and your loved ones this Valentine’s Day!