Flowers are the easiest and most popular gift to give on Valentine's Day; they are easily accessible and cheaper than bling. However, the story behind these flowers may not be so rosy…
It may have never occurred to most people how their local florist seems to have the perfect flowers on time for February 14th, but the truth is the vast majority of flowers will have been intensively grown and imported, usually by air transport, over thousands of miles. The biggest producers of cut-flowers are the Netherlands, Kenya, Colombia and Israel, which grow flowers, such as roses, orchids and carnations, that are commonly given as Valentine’s Day gifts. The majority of flowers bought in local florists and supermarkets are imported from other countries which means large amounts of CO2 are emitted during their transportation.
In order to grow to its full size, each stem requires 10 litres of fresh water and plenty of pesticides. Furthermore, large inputs of energy are required to grow the flowers on the scale required by consumer demand. This is the case for countries experiencing cloud cover throughout the year and who mainly grow flowers in greenhouses. These greenhouses are often heated through the combustion of natural gas and release large amounts of CO2.
YOU DO NOT NEED FLOWERS TO SHOW YOUR LOVE!
WHY NOT USE TREES?
To show your special one how you truly feel, plant a tree in his/her honor, to show them you care and are investing towards a better future for both. DO not let the consumer demand of flowers sway you: plant a tree representative of the long future of your relationship and watch it grow.
