Learning to Love the Earth at Valentine’s in the Cape Breton Highlands

What do you think of when you think of Valentine’s Day? Chocolates? Flowers? Red and pink themed stuffies, candy and cards? It is easy to spend a lot of money and create a lot of waste at Valentine’s. Waste from packaging, paper, and plastic are obvious, but there’s also a lot of wasted energy needed to produce all this stuff! It adds up quickly. The waste might seem unavoidable, but the real reason we celebrate Valentine’s Day is love. Showing love doesn’t have to produce any waste at all!

Elementary students at Cape Breton Highlands Education Centre/Academy (CBHEC/A) spent some time on February 14th thinking about how they give and receive love. The Five Love Languages are one way to think about the ways people feel loved. Click on the links to watch a short video about each one.

Quality Time – Spend time together, listen when someone needs to talk, do activities together. For example: going for a walk together, reading books, sitting and talking.

Acts of Service – Do something for someone. For example: washing the dishes, making supper, scraping their car windshield before they leave for work in the winter.

Words of Affirmation – Encouragement and compliments. For example: Write a note or text message before a rehearsal, test, or big decision, or tell someone what you admire about them.

Physical Touch – Appropriate physical touch can show someone you care. For example: Give a hug, high five or a pat on the back.

Gifts – A meaningful gift doesn’t necessarily come from a store. For example: Give something you made or found that reminds you of someone.

After watching the videos the CBHEC/A elementary students made Valentines out of birch bark and recycled paper. They thought about the Five Love Languages and how they could show their friends and family how much they care through their actions, words, and creativity rather than something bought from a store. You can see the beautiful results in the photos here, or on Instagram here. What a great way to reduce waste and show our love for one another, and for the Earth!

~Shandel Brown
Engagement Officer, Cape Breton