Budding Change in the Flower Industry
2 minute read
Flower deliveries are responsible for millions of pounds of carbon dioxide each year
Growing flowers requires large amounts of water, land, fertilizer, and pesticides
Brands like High Camp Supply provide a more environmentally friendly flower option
Giving flowers can be a beautiful gesture to show a loved one that you’re thinking of them. However, unfortunately, most flowers grown commercially have a negative environmental and social impact. But don’t worry! At the end of this article we’ll tell you about High Camp Supply, a wonderful partner of ours that grows beautiful gardenias in California, ships them nationwide, and offsets their shipping emissions with us.
Most flowers that are bought in the US are grown and shipped from Colombia and Ecuador, while Europeans get their flowers from equatorial East Africa. These warmer climates have the right conditions to grow flowers, but shipping them to the US or Europe emits a lot of carbon dioxide. In just the three weeks before Valentine’s Day, planes carrying flower shipments from Colombia to the US emit 360,000 metric tons, or about 793,664,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. And this is only a fraction of the total worldwide emissions from flower shipments.
Flower growing also uses a large amount of water, land and chemicals. One hectare of a flower farm uses about 237,755 gallons of water each month. About one-fifth of the agrochemicals used in developing countries have been banned or not tested in the US. These chemicals pollute the air, land, and water in the surrounding communities, raising concerns for public health.
The people growing and cutting the flowers can also be harmed by exposure to toxins in fertilizers and pesticides. These workers also report unfair working conditions like 16 hour days, low wages, and no access to maternity leave.
Since there is no limit to the amount of pesticides that can be applied to flowers imported into the US, a layer of these chemicals remain long after they’ve been bought. The average customer is unlikely to experience negative effects from having these flowers in their home. However, florists who arrange and handle our bouquets can be exposed to unsafe amounts of toxins without gloves and other protective equipment.
So what is a flower-lover to do? A great way to send beautiful flowers is to order from High Camp Supply. But they don’t simply ship flowers, they create a sensory experience with every order. High Camp is the only company in the US to ship directly to consumers cut-to-order High Camp Gardenias quality vines and blooms year-round. They grow their gardenias on their farm in the beautiful coastal valley of California. As of November 1st, they have partnered with us to, more than, offset the emissions from shipping their flowers to customers by planting one mangrove tree per order. These luxurious arrangements are perfect for gifting this holiday season. With colder weather on its way, High Camp’s gardenias can bring some life and warmth into your home.
