Senseless violence.

Every year millions are separated from their families, cut from their roots, and shipped in substandard conditions to far off places. After being exploited for 5 - 9 days, having fulfilled their inauspicious destiny, the downtrodden masses are cast away with little thought. Estimates show that 156 million roses were murdered on Valentine's Day in 2003.

Please stop the senseless killing of flowers.

Men are the biggest offenders. We buy 73% of the flowers sold on Valentine's Day. To be fair, 15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day. Now that is just sad!

The flowers are not the only ones being harmed. Studies have shown that 50% of workers in the Costa Rican flower industry have symptoms of pesticide poisoning. Areas surrounding flower farms there have higher miscarriage and birth defect rates than do other areas.

The toxic chemicals spread onto the clothes and into the bodies of farm workers and their children. Florists who handle the flowers have been known to develop dermatitis on their hands.

Please! This Valentine's Day--adopt a plant instead.