Consumerism in Valentine’s Day by Louise Bloor, Hailsham Sixth Form

Saint Valentine’s Day was a day created to honour the Saint Valentines, the many in our history. In one legend, Saint Valentine was a priest who continued marrying people, even after Emperor Claudius banned it, in an attempt to create better soldiers. In another, Saint Valentine sent letters to his beloved after being imprisoned for helping Christian prisoners escape. Across history there are many Saint Valentines, so it is difficult to know exactly how the day became associated with love and romance, though some believe it to be due to the actions of one of the Saint Valentines, who married young couples in love despite laws not to. 

Despite St Valentine’s Day not originally being about romance and showing love for your significant other, time has caused it to become such a day. Now presents are gifted and chocolates are eaten all to show a person’s commitment to another. It has even gotten to the point where a lack of presents can be seen to mean a lack of love, a break-up. But the attitude that is pushed in the media, for a gift-filled day, is one that cannot be sustained. The waste that is created by this day only adds to the massive amounts of landfill polluting this earth, as well as the flowers putting large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as they make their way from the growing fields to the florists all across the world. Whilst many of the major holidays celebrated in this country have been turned into ways for companies to make large amounts of profit, St Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be. 

Love can be shown through anything, a nice walk, flowers from your own garden or even just by saying it. Global warming does not only have one cause, but anything can help, so, in coming Valentine’s Day’s try and find a more sustainable way of showing your love. And maybe, we can help slow the effects of global warming, one step at a time.