When your dedication to cut flowers rivals Elton John’s, the eco dilemmas come thick and fast. The global horticultural industry is huge.
At the Aalsmeer flower auction in Holland, 20m stems change hands every day. In the week before Valentine’s Day 200m red roses will pass through this behemoth (yes, we really are that predictable). Most of your flowers will travel via this place.
But their origins will be much farther flung. The main exporters are Kenya, Ethiopia and Colombia. Given that many producing countries with the right climatic conditions to grow at this scale are also water-scarce and low-wage economies, there are myriad ethical issues.
So look for certification – theFairtrade logo is on a number of flowers – or there’s Florverde, an eco-certification programme for flowers from Colombia. Check baseline standards and suppliers at ethicaltrade.org.
The Guardian: Are pot plants more eco friendly than cut flowers?
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