Whether it is for the people we love, the friends we visit or simply to add color to our daily life, buying flowers is a common concern that seems harmless. But for flowers to be a real gift for ‘everyone’, you still have to make the right choices. To do this, follow the guide to choose the right flowers.

That’s it, soon Valentine’s Day, and afterwards, we will soon be able to start counting down the days that separate us from spring. Strongly the buds, the pretty green leaves and the few rays of sunshine that will make us forget winter. Also come back the flowers that brighten up our interiors and gardens so well. But not all of them are necessarily a gift for the environment. So how do you make the right choice? Follow our guide to better choose flowers according to the Flower books.

The Guide To Choosing The Right Flowers

If more and more of us are adopting the reflex of eating in season and less meat, or limiting the use of water and electricity, there are areas where we do not immediately think of the impact ecological of our gestures, even benevolent. Giving flowers, for example, is one that needs to be thought about.

Did You Know?

600 million is the number of roses sold each year in this country. For example, have you ever thought about the ecological impact of the pretty bouquet you are about to buy? Because it is true, we do not always imagine that before ending up in the sublime composition that is before you, the flowers were sometimes cultivated in the greenhouse, treated with pesticides by workers often exploited, sprinkled with liters of and transported by air. In other words, bouquets of flowers are not always a gift for the planet.

How To Choose Flowers?

However, you should not deprive yourself of all the pleasures. So there are a few simple gestures to please and have fun by offering flowers, without this being a disaster for the environment.

Seasonal Flowers Or Imported Flowers

As with fruits and vegetables, most flowers are found everywhere, all year round. Out of season, horticulturalists use greenhouses that are heated and permanently lit, which greatly increases the carbon footprint of their production.

The Solution For Choosing The Right Flowers

Respect the cycles of the seasons by preferring the flowers of the season for example. Offer flowers, a gift that can have a heavy carbon footprint. The vast majority of the flowers you buy come from countries in the South: this is the case for 90% of roses, orchids and tulips. Most of the cut flowers sold come from the Netherlands, but also from Central America, South America, Africa especially Kenya and recently from Asia with India which exports more and more.

Today it is estimated that:

  • 80% of the roses come from Kenya, Ecuador and Zimbabwe
  • 91% of orchids come from Thailand
  • 71% of gladioli come from Colombia

Since the flowers are fragile and perishable, they must be sent quickly, so by air: the ecological balance is increased.

Flowers Imported By Air

The energy balance linked to air transport is 570 to 1,580g per ton of flower and per kilometer. In comparison, the results are a little less bad for the road: the flowers transported by refrigerated truck use 800 g of CO 2 per kilometer. Roughly speaking, a bouquet of 12 roses produces 8 kg of CO 2, the equivalent of 2 liters of fuel, which represents 45 km traveled with an average car.