The carbon footprint of Valentine's day
Have you ever considered your carbon footprint when celebrating Valentine's Day? How do you celebrate it? Buying flowers, cards, chocolates, and jewelry, or going out to eat? What else do you have to pay for?
Let's see how much carbon dioxide you can emit on Valentine's Day!
It is difficult to provide an exact amount of emissions that come specifically from Valentine's Day celebrations, as there are many factors that contribute to emissions on that day and throughout the year. However, certain activities associated with Valentine's Day, such as purchasing flowers and gifts, dining out, and traveling, can contribute to emissions from transportation, agriculture, and energy use. Additionally, the increased demand for these goods and services may also lead to additional emissions from manufacturing and production.
However, we will calculate the average carbon footprint of Valentine's Day in both traditional and sustainable celebrations. Let's see how we can reduce our emissions while having fun on February 14th!
The carbon footprint of purchasing flowers, specifically roses:
can vary depending on a number of factors, including where the flowers are grown, how they are transported, and the method of production.
Growing roses requires a significant amount of water and energy, as well as pesticides and fertilizers, which can contribute to emissions. Additionally, roses are often grown in countries with warm climates, such as Colombia, Ecuador, and Kenya, and then shipped to other countries, which can add to the carbon footprint through transportation emissions.
It is difficult to give an exact number on the carbon footprint of purchasing roses but it is known that buying locally grown flowers, or flowers grown in a sustainable way, can help to reduce the carbon footprint associated with purchasing roses.
According to a life cycle impact assessment, a study from Cranfield University, 12,000 rose stems grown in Kenya emit 2,200 kg carbon dioxide, while those grown in the Netherlands emit 35,000 kg carbon dioxide, equating to approximately 3 kg carbon dioxide equivalent per flower.
The carbon footprint of chocolate
can vary depending on a number of factors, such as where the cocoa beans are grown, how they are transported, and the method of production.
Growing cocoa beans requires a significant amount of water and energy, as well as pesticides and fertilizers, which can contribute to emissions. Additionally, cocoa beans are often grown in countries with warm climates, such as Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Indonesia and then transported to other countries for processing and manufacturing which can add to the carbon footprint through transportation emissions.
The manufacturing of chocolate also requires energy for roasting, grinding, and molding cocoa beans into chocolate bars, and further energy for packaging and transportation.
A study in 2018 assessed the life cycle environmental impacts of the production and consumption of chocolate products in the UK. The result shows that the global warming potential (GWP) of chocolate ranges from 2.9–4.2 kg carbon dioxide equivalent per kg of chocolate.
The carbon footprint of dining out
can depend on a number of factors, such as the type of restaurant, the menu, and the location.
There are several ways that dining out can contribute to carbon emissions:
Energy use: Restaurants require energy to operate, such as for lighting, heating and cooling, cooking, and refrigeration.
Food transportation: Restaurants often source their ingredients from various locations which can add to transportation emissions.
Food waste: Restaurants generate a significant amount of food waste, which can contribute to emissions when it is sent to landfills.
It is difficult to give an exact number on the carbon footprint of dining out but it is known that choosing restaurants that source their ingredients locally and use sustainable practices can help to reduce the carbon footprint associated with dining out. Zero Foodprint found that on average 8 kg of CO2-eq is emitted for every meal prepared in restaurants, with 70% of that being produced in the production of ingredients, although home-cooked meals emit 1.4 kg of CO2-eq emissions on average.
The carbon footprint of buying a card will depend on several factors, such as the materials used to make the card, the method of transportation used to transport the card from the manufacturer to the retailer, and the method used to power the manufacturing and transportation.
In general, a card made from paper and printed using vegetable-based inks would have a lower carbon footprint than one made from plastic and printed using petroleum-based inks.
Transportation also plays a role in the carbon footprint of the card. For example, if the card is shipped by air, it will have a higher carbon footprint than if it is shipped by ground.
The manufacturing process also matters. For example, if the card is made by using renewable energy sources, it will have a lower carbon footprint than if it is made by using fossil fuels.
It's hard to give an exact number for the carbon footprint of a card as it can vary widely depending on the specific materials, transportation, and manufacturing methods used. However, it is usually considered as a small carbon footprint as it is a relatively small item, and the transportation and manufacturing process is also relatively less complex. After looking at the literature, the most suitable estimate for the embodied carbon or 'carbon footprint' in a standard greetings card is 140g CO2-eq.
As we all suspected, the final but not least present may be jewelry. Jewelry is the most popular Valentine's Day gift for ladies.
The carbon footprint of a mined diamond one carat ring will depend on several factors, including the location of the mine, the methods used to extract the diamond, and the transportation and processing of the diamond. However, on average, the carbon footprint for mined diamond is between 100-130kg CO2 emissions per carat. This can vary greatly depending on where the diamond is mined and how it is processed.
However, you can consider the lab-growth diamonds! The carbon footprint of a lab-grown diamond one-carat ring is generally considered to be lower than that of a mined diamond.
The exact carbon footprint will depend on the specific methods used to grow the diamond and the energy source used to power the process. However, on average the carbon footprint for lab-grown diamonds is between 0.1-6 kg of CO2-eq emissions per carat. This is because lab-grown diamonds are made in a controlled environment using advanced technologies like chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) process, which consumes less energy compared to mining and also can use renewable energy sources, thus reducing carbon emissions.
What is the most sustainable Valentine's Day gift?
The most sustainable Valentine's Day gift is one that has a minimal environmental impact, is ethically sourced, and promotes the conservation of resources.
Here are a few sustainable Valentine's Day gift ideas:
Eco-friendly flowers: Opt for locally-sourced, seasonal flowers and plants are grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. You can also consider wildflowers or herbs or even consider potted plants as a long-term gift.
Sustainable jewelry: Look for jewelry that is made from sustainable materials, such as recycled gold, silver, or conflict-free diamonds (lab-grown).
Handmade or vintage items: Consider gifting a handmade or vintage item, which is more likely to be made from sustainable materials and to have a lower environmental impact than a new item.
Experiences: Give an experience like a day out hiking, a picnic in nature, a cooking class, or a concert that promotes environmental responsibility.
Charity donations: Make a donation to an environmental organization or a charity that supports sustainable living in the name of your loved one.
Personalized gifts: Make something personal, like a scrapbook, a collage of your memories or a handwritten letter.
Cooking dinner together: Plan a romantic dinner at home, cook together and enjoy a nice glass of wine.
By swapping the traditional celebration with the sustainable option, you could reduce your carbon footprint to around 5 kg CO2-eq from 150 kg CO2-eq!
Item | Traditional way | Sustainable alternative |
Buying a bunch of roses | 32 kg CO2-eq | 3 kg CO2-eq |
Buying a bar of chocolate, 200g | 0.4 - 0.8 kg CO2-eq | 0.5 kg CO2-eq |
Dining out | 8 kg CO2-eq | Eat at home: 1.4 kg CO2-eq |
Cards | 0.14 kg CO2-eq | How about virtual cards :) |
One-carat diamond ring | 100 - 130 kg CO2-eq | 0.1 -6 kg CO2-eq |
Overall, the most sustainable Valentine's Day gift is one that supports the conservation of resources, promotes ethical and sustainable living, and shows your loved one how much you care about the environment.
References
Williams, A., 2007. Comparative study of cut roses for the British market produced in Kenya and the Netherlands. Précis report for World Flowers.
Konstantas, A., Jeswani, H.K., Stamford, L. and Azapagic, A., 2018. Environmental impacts of chocolate production and consumption in the UK. Food research international, 106, pp.1012-1025.
Notes: The figures are rough estimates based on the literature. Please read the related studies to obtain more precise numbers based on the system boundary and the purpose of your study.
Bình luận