Bright red roses in colorful cellophane, chocolate boxes in beautiful boxes and various sized “valentines” – these are some of the holiday gifts we usually get to choose from for Valentine's Day on February 14th. The excitement for holiday shopping, however, can be a cause of overconsumption and the disposal of more waste.
Elitsa Kapusheva from the platform “Climateka“, Gabriela Rumenova from the platform “We, the Consumers“ and Irena Petrova, social psychologist and entrepreneur in the field of ecology, advise people to choose gifts carefully - one that will not only please the recipient, but will also be used for a long time.
Holidays and shopping
Holidays like Christmas, Valentine's Day, and then for Baba Marta, predispose to more active shopping. Gift packaging is part of the big expense, Kapusheva comments. She emphasizes the importance of reusing packaging and cards.
Kapusheva also gave an example with advent calendars. They maintain curiosity, but their packaging is often not recycled and difficult to reuse. The expert also notes the desire to change the decoration, which leads to more waste.
Kapusheva welcomes the purchase of gifts from second-hand stores as an alternative and a manifestation of creativity.
Reasonable shopping
Gabriela Rumenova calls for reasonable shopping. Reasonable purchases help to avoid unnecessary expenses and overproduction, which affects the environment. Rumenova draws attention to the link between the economy and ecology, pointing out the increase in the price of products due to climate change.
Rumenova advises to donate gifts that we do not need. Experiences, such as tickets to cultural events, trips or vacations, are a more sustainable alternative.
When choosing a gift, Rumenova recommends that we find out if its production complies with nature-friendly methods. She advises to focus on quality and content, not on packaging.
Good ideas are gifts with long-term use – reusable containers, plants or trees. Service vouchers are also a suitable option.
Ecological habits
Experts believe that everyone should strive for more ecological practices. Rumenova shares that she buys clothes only when necessary, chooses quality materials and uses clothing repeatedly. She uses electrical appliances with high energy efficiency, reusable containers and prefers bulk products.
Kapusheva tries to reduce the use of single-use plastic and plans to participate in urban composting. She is also expecting the introduction of the national deposit system.
According to Kapusheva and Rumenova, conscious consumption is not a deprivation, but a conscious choice.
The meaning behind the gift
Irena Petrova believes that the gift is an expression of love. She advises to avoid waste and unnecessary waste. Petrova emphasizes the importance of emotion, feeling and care. She advises us to consider what would truly please the loved one.
Petrova recommends avoiding unnecessary packaging and focusing on experiences. She emphasizes that awareness and love are the true expression of love.
When choosing a gift, Petrova considers what would please loved ones, taking into account their preferences. She avoids buying things that can be found second-hand or borrowed.
Conscious shopping, cooking and cleaning with ecological detergents, as well as composting are Petrova's guiding principles.