No-one would give the eco-thumbs up to a gas guzzling Hummer, ammirite? But what about a beautiful vase of flowers?
Well they aren’t as harmless as you may first think. Unless they are picked in your own backyard than they have certainly travelled. If they were commercially farmed than its likely that plenty of pesticides were used on them too. And if they were hothoused than they also guzzled water and energy too. Gah. Thankfully things aren’t as bad here in New Zealand as they are in the UK or the States – where the vast majority of their hunger for all things floral is fed by poorer, developing nations. We aren’t worried about your lakes Kenya -you just keep the UK supplied with roses okay!
I hadn’t thought about the sustainability of the cut-flower industry until our wedding last year. And, thankfully, Margaret Tolland, up-cycler extraordinaire came to my rescue, making a beautiful bouquet and accoutrements out of billboard vinyl, swimming toys and general trinketry. Cleverly eco and totally gorgeous.
Seems such ideas are catching on, as over on Design Sponge this week, they featured Eco flowers by Lauren Karnitz. So fine! What beauty!
And all from plastic and used materials – now there’s a bunch of flowers with my name on it. I love things that create beauty out of things that are otherwise considered discarded.
P.S I should note that I am by no means an expert on the environmental cost of flowers, and any quick search will throw up counter arguments such as this:
The Big Shwop 