That flower bouquet resting beautifully in a vase on your table has a carbon footprint of about five pounds, at the very least. That accounts for air transportation and any chemical agents that may be applied to any such flower, as well as the constant refrigeration that cut flowers require during transport (according to The Environmental Impact of Cut Flowers).
This, to me, was an astounding realization, considering how much I enjoy cut flowers in my home. And the problem is, it’s not just that cut flowers have a large carbon footprint, they also contribute immensely to supporting the chemical pesticide industry, and in doing so, perpetuate the problems associated with use of dangerous chemicals on our plants. Workers in South American countries who handle cut flowers regularly have reported serious health problems — skin rashes, respiratory problems and eye conditions, reportedly associated with chemical pesticide, herbicide and fungicide exposure.
Ultimately, it can’t be argued that conventionally produced, chemically showered, imported cut flowers are good for us or the environment. However, there are alternatives, and it’s important that we consider them instead of simply running to the nearest grocery store and buying flowers with mystery origins and no sign of organic growth processes. Below are a couple of suggestions for greening our in-home flowers:
1. If you must buy cut flowers, buy organic and/or local. Search online for a company that sells organic flowers, such as Organic Bouquet. Of course, this doesn’t reduce the bouquet’s carbon footprint to zero — most likely, you’ll still want the flowers delivered, and they very likely may still be imported, so you’ll have to account for transportation CO2 emissions. However, eliminating the use of chemicals contributes immensely to a better bouquet, so you’re certainly reducing its carbon footprint if you buy organic. On the other hand, if you can find cut flowers that were grown at a local, small farm nearby, consider buying those. That way, you’re supporting local growers and reducing the emissions of long-haul transport.
2. Buy a succulent potted plant that will last much, much longer than cut flowers. These can provide a nice alternative to flower bouquets. But be sure to check the origin of the potted plant too, and above all, try to buy one that was grown locally and, of course, organically. I recommend going to your local natural foods store and asking an employee about where the plants they sell come from, and, once you find out their history, determine whether or not to buy them.
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I think option 1 is by far the best option. Always look for flowers from a florist that have been organically grown and there are plenty of florists in the UK that are using this as a unique selling point.
3. freegan it?
I was walking to work and one of my neighbors was trimming his cherry trees. They were going to go right into the yard waste anyway so I scored some zero carbon footprint “cut flowers”.