It’s time for a new feature called Cat/Countercat where the resident IFOC Cats debate the issues of the day.
Today’s subject: flowers for Valentine’s Day.
Apparently, there are ugly academics out there that can’t get themselves a date, so they have to ruin Valentine’s Day for everyone else…

In the past three years, the amount of flowers imported from the Netherlands has fallen by 47 per cent to 94,000 tons, while those from Africa have risen 39 per cent to 17,000 tons.
Environmentalists warned that “flower miles” could have serious implications on climate change in terms of carbon dioxide emissions from aeroplanes.
Andrew Sims, the policy director of the New Economics Foundation, said: “There are plenty of flowers that grow in Britain in the winter and don’t need to be hothoused.
“Air freighting flowers half way round the world contributes to global warming.
“You can argue the planes would be flying anyway but the amount of greenhouse gases pumped out depends on the weight of the cargo.”
Vicky Hird, of Friends of the Earth, said: “We don’t want to be killjoys because receiving flowers can be lovely but why not grow your own gift?”

With this issue being so important, it’s time to take it out of the hands of humanity and give it to our Feline Masters to help us resolve the conflict fairly, wisely, and swiftly.
What do you think about the environmental impact of Valentine’s Day?

Frisky: You know, this heart-shaped plate was flown three times around the planet just to see if it could be done. But that’s what makes it so special.

Nardo: Well, it’s not like the starving kids in Africa can eat those flowers, right? Might as well ship them to somewhere that can buy them instead of letting them wilt and die for no reason.

Thank you, kittycats.
This has been Cat/Countercat.