14 February 2006

Only in The Guardian...

Guess which newspaper chose St Valentine's Day to consider the ethics of buying cut flowers?
"The true extent of the trade's environmental impact was only recently recognised officially. Figures released by Defra last November following parliamentary questions from Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson Norman Baker showed that almost 17,000 tonnes of flowers - worth £46.1m - were imported more than 4,000 miles from Kenya in 2004. Roses accounted for almost 5,000 tonnes of the imports. Overall, this signified a 83% increase in air-freighted flowers from Kenya in just four years. Baker has since calculated that this trade from Kenya leads to 33,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year - meaning that the transit of each flower creates far more than its own weight in CO2 pollution.
As long as labelling laws fail to insist that the country of origin be listed on flowers (don't be calmed by the sight of "Holland" as this may only indicate the location of the wholesaler), the only truly sustainable alternative is to show your affection to loved ones in other, more imaginative ways, or to carefully source seasonal, preferably organic, flowers grown in the UK, particularly bulb flowers. Of all the popular cut flowers, only daffodils are still celebrated for their seasonality and home-grown status, but other seasonal, domestic flowers include freesia, iris, roses, narcissi, tulips, delphiniums, solidaster, and chrysanthemums. Better still, buy a potted plant.

Not quite the same thing, however...

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