Green Living Ideas
EnergyAre Cut Flowers Bad for the Environment?
Sending and receiving flowers is a time-honored tradition on birthdays, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, or just because. Cut flowers are pretty and the act of giving or receiving makes most of us smile. But are cut flowers produced in a manner consistent with green living? For those of us trying to support green living and reduce the size of our ecological footprint, should we be opting away from cut flowers?
The cut flower industry in the United States is highly successful. Cut flowers are in great demand and supplies must be kept consistent and flowers in good shape. This is not always done in a way that supports green living.
Cut flowers are often grown outside of the US in countries where environmental regulations just aren't as strict. Contrary to green living, chemicals such as DDT, which are now outlawed in the United States, are still frequently used. When DDT inevitably finds its way into the environment, generally through the water, it has a hugely detrimental effect on birds and animals.
Furthermore, even when illegal chemicals are not used for growing cut flowers, they still don't generally measure up to green living. An overabundance of fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides are frequently applied to flowers to insure they grow into their full aesthetic appeal and stay that way through delivery. Against the standards of green living, a large amount of these chemicals finds its way into ground water.
Beyond green living, these chemicals often pose problems for workers who can develop respiratory and other ailments. Florists who work with cut flowers have been known to develop dermatitis, not exactly green living ideals.
There is an alternative to non-green living cut flowers!
While much of the cut flower industry is profiting contrary to the principles of green living, that doesn't mean that cut flowers themselves are inherently against green living. Quite the contrary, when grown with care in an organic fashion, cut flowers can brighten someone's day as the giver and receiver know that they are consistent with green living. The best place to send organic cut flowers which adhere to strict green living standards is through a company called Organic Bouquet. Similar to other national cut flower companies available on the web, Organic Bouquet strives to better the environment and lets those of us who wish to practice green living enjoy our cut flowers all the more.
