Sustainable Valentine's Day

News Spotlight

• ESG and sustainability skills in high demand as employers struggle to find qualified candidates. Full Story

• Ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day sustainably. Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to do something nice for anyone in your life you appreciate! As you celebrate, remember to keep sustainability in mind. Full Story

  

• 2024 sustainability trends: CBAM, decarbonization and disclosure. Full Story

• New sustainable visitor and education center to transform Picnic Point, Lakeshore Nature Preserve. Full Story

• For the past 12 months, the Earth was 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than in preindustrial times. Full Story

Sustainable Finance

• HSBC partners with Google to hit $1 bln climate tech finance goal. HSBC opens new tab has partnered with Google opens new tab to finance fast-growing climate technology firms behind some of the world's most promising solutions to global climate change. Full Story

• China Stock Exchanges Announce Mandatory Sustainability Reporting Requirements for Companies. Full Story

• Deloitte named a leader in ESG and sustainability services by Verdantix. Full Story

• Barclays revises climate policy to strengthen sustainability efforts. Full Story

  

• Sustainable Finance Market Poised to Surpass $22,485.6 Billion by 2031. Full Story

Technology & Solutions

• Dutch start-up Human Material Loop turns hair into sustainable clothing. Entrepreneurs are looking for ways to recycle human hair, including weaving clippings swept off the floor of salons and barbershops into clothes. Full Story

• 7 ways Amazon is using AI to build a more sustainable future. Full Story

• Innovia’s take on a ‘bright future’ for flexible packaging.

• Adform Becomes the First Global Demand Side Platform to Join UN’s Science Based Targets Initiative. Full Story

• FuelRe4m.com unveils revolutionary technology for sustainable and efficient combustion. Full Story

Q&A

• Q1: What environmental impacts are associated with Valentine's Day cut flowers?

• Q2: Can you suggest sustainable Valentine's Day gift alternatives?

  _{Kindly peruse the content below to access the answers.*}

RECs

• Eco-Friendly Date Ideas: Choose activities that have minimal environmental impact, such as a picnic in a local park, hiking, or a bike ride. These activities not only reduce carbon emissions but also allow you and your partner to connect with nature.

• Sustainable Gifts: Instead of traditional gifts, consider giving experiences that create memories without generating waste, like a cooking class, concert tickets, or a membership to a local botanical garden. For physical gifts, look for items made from recycled or sustainable materials.

• Plant-Based Romantic Dinner: Cooking a plant-based meal for Valentine's Day can significantly lower your carbon footprint compared to meals centered around meat or dairy products. Ingredients sourced from local farmers' markets further support sustainability and reduce transportation emissions.

• Eco-Friendly Flowers: If flowers are a must, opt for locally-grown, organic flowers to reduce the environmental impact associated with long-distance flower transport and harmful pesticides. Another option is to gift a potted plant, which lasts longer and can improve indoor air quality.

• Minimal-Waste Packaging: For any gifts you do purchase, avoid single-use wrapping paper and plastic packaging. Use recycled paper, fabric wraps, or even part of the gift itself as wrapping to minimize waste. Reusable gift bags are also a great option.

The Q&A Answers are:

• A1: Valentine's Day cut flowers often have a high carbon footprint due to long-distance transportation and intensive farming practices, including significant water and pesticide use. Choosing local or sustainable flowers can reduce these impacts.

• A2: For a more sustainable Valentine's Day, consider gifting experiences, digital subscriptions, ethically-sourced chocolates, eco-friendly jewelry, or potted plants. These options help lower environmental impacts while offering meaningful expressions of love.

Did you Know?
Did you know that the environmental impact of Valentine's Day flowers is quite significant? For example, in 2018, Valentine's Day flowers grown in Colombia and then flown to US airports produced around 360,000 metric tons of CO2. This is roughly equivalent to the emissions from 78,000 cars driven for a year. This high carbon footprint is due to the long-haul transport required to bring flowers from countries like Colombia and Ecuador to consumers in the US, often involving flights of up to 6,000 miles in refrigerated airplane holds and additional transportation by truck across the country. Moreover, in the three weeks leading up to Valentine's Day, approximately 60 cargo planes per day take off from Colombia and Ecuador, carrying flowers treated with pesticides. This effort to meet consumer demand contributes significantly to carbon emissions. The process does not end with air transport; upon arrival, these flowers are then transported across the country in refrigerated trucks, further increasing their environmental footprint.

With Inspiring Climate Activists

Anuna De Wever Van Der Heyden is a leading Belgian climate activist known for her significant role in the School strike for climate movement. Her activism, along with others, has had political impacts, including the resignation of a Flemish minister. Despite facing harassment at a music festival, De Wever continued her advocacy, including a low-carbon journey to a UN Climate Change Conference and an internship with the Greens–European Free Alliance. Identifying as gender non-binary, De Wever's outspoken nature has sparked both support and controversy. She has been recognized for her efforts with awards from Amnesty International Belgium and the Ark Prize of the Free Word. watch Anuna De Wever and Adélaïde Charlier talk at TEDxULB.

Main Events in 2024
Here are some of the major sustainability and climate change events scheduled for 2024:

1. Innovation Zero (April 30 to May 01, 2024): An event showcasing the latest in climate technology and convening entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to push forward net-zero emissions solutions.

2. World ESG and Climate Summit (June 18-19, 2024): This summit brings together global leaders, experts, and stakeholders to address challenges and opportunities related to sustainability and ESG practices.

3. Climate Week NYC – We Can (October 23-31, 2024): An annual event that showcases climate action and accelerates the transition to a net-zero future with world leaders, policymakers, businesses, and citizens.

4. COP29 (November 6-18, 2024): The 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, set to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan.

    

    _{*also read Top 10 must-attend sustainability events in 2024.}

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