Actually no… most of them aren’t.  Cut flowers that you purchase in the majority of flower shops may be beautiful, but they come at a high price, both environmentally and socially.

Most of the flowers in these shops come from far away – so start with a
good dose of greenhouse gases from the transportation to get them here.
While growing, they are sprayed with a cocktail of pesticides –
sometimes as many as 100 times what they would spray on foods at the
same farm.  These pesticides have very negative impacts to the local
environment, not to mention the local people employed on the farm to
pick them and ship them here – people who don’t have options to demand
better.

So what should you look for?

Well, like most products, buying local is a great start.  Our labour laws are stricter and so are the limits that we place on pesticides. And you save on the greenhouse gases since its not crossing the continent.

Then look for organic.  Organic flowers are grown without the use of pesticides and herbicides.  Many people who are very careful about the food as well as the cleaning and personal care products that they choose don’t realize that traditional flowers have a significant dose of pesticides that you bring directly into your home without thinking.  Nothing says “I love you” like a good dose of DDT, right?

Lastly, choose fair trade.  Fair trade means that products are purchased at a fair price from the local source, which allows them to grow things sustainably, in a way that protects worker safety.  Many other products
are purchased at next to nothing from local sources, and the money made instead goes to the distributor, keeping communities in developing countries in absolute poverty.

This Valentines Day – consider the gift of organic flowers which are healthier for loved ones, and the planet.

(PS. Don’t forget the chocolates!)

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