A bunch of flowers in your home instantly brightens not only your interior but also your mood. So we were shocked to learn about the enormous negative impact of that bunch of flowers. Behind such a posy in your living room, it turns out there is a huge footprint. So we delved into the world of sustainable flowers. What exactly is the impact of flowers? And what is the best choice in sustainable flowers?
CO2 impact of flowers
The impact of a bunch of flowers is bigger than you think. Growing and transporting flowers causes quite a lot of CO2 emissions. Those emissions vary from flower to flower. And a bunch often consists of many different varieties. It is therefore difficult to calculate the exact impact of a specific bunch. But where does that negative impact come from? First of all, most flowers are grown in heated greenhouses. That requires a lot of energy, as most greenhouses in the Netherlands are kept warm with natural gas. In addition, the potting soil in which flowers are grown also causes emissions, because it often contains peat. Excavating peat releases a lot of CO2 emissions. In addition, peat extraction is prohibited in the Netherlands, so that potting soil also involves a lot of transport kilometres. Want to know more about this? Then check out this article!
Finally, importing our cut flowers also causes a lot of CO2 emissions. Because of the short shelf life of flowers, these import flowers are often transported by plane. Whew, there goes your innocent bunch of flowers!
Anything else wrong with flowers?
Unfortunately, your beautiful bunch of flowers doesn't just have a high carbon footprint. It probably won't surprise you that growing flowers also consumes a lot of water. And we wouldn't say it in our chilly little country: but water shortage is a big problem worldwide. In addition, a lot of pesticides are used with the cultivation of ornamental flowers, because of course we do want an insect-free and perfect forest. But all those pesticides do biodiversity no favours. Something that kills insects on flowers naturally kills many more critters. And we should not discount the poor working conditions on foreign market gardens. That too is often not pretty.
Pfew, with all this misery, you almost wouldn't dare buy a bunch of flowers anymore. But don't stop reading: I'll help you make better choices, so you can still enjoy your beautiful bunch without guilt!
What is the best choice in sustainable flowers?
Take fresh sustainable flowers from Dutch fields
As a consumer, how do you know what the most sustainable flower is? Ask your florist where flowers come from and choose Dutch flowers that grow here in the fields. A useful tool is the Dutch flower calendar from Milieu Centraal. As you can see, there is a flower for every month that grows here. Tip: always ask! Because in tulip season, for instance, you also have tulips from other countries. You cannot always assume that a seasonal flower actually comes from here. Complicated, yes, we agree.
Choose flowers from a sustainable florist
Fortunately, florists are not sitting still either. They are increasingly opting for sustainable organic and fair trade flowers. As a consumer, you can look up the local sustainable florist on the site of Sustainable Florist Barometer and you will recognise them by the sticker on the shop. So you know that your florist also cares about the environment and contributes to a greener world. You can also choose a bunch from the florists of slowflowers.nl, who choose organic (dynamic) flowers from the season.
Pick your own sustainable flowers
What could be nicer than a bunch of flowers you picked yourself in your living room? Plant pretty flowers in your garden so you can also put some on your desk or in your living room, such as peonies, lupins or dahlias. Or pick a pretty bunch of wildflowers along the road. And another cool alternative: take your bike to a local picking garden. Picking gardens give you access to local outdoor flowers. And many picking gardens also work completely organically. Definitely more sustainable than a flown-in bunch of flowers. The pity is that this is not possible all year round: from May to October you can pick flowers at picking gardens and that is also the period when you will find beautiful flowers in your neighbourhood.
Artificial flowers
Artificial flowers are great. These days, you can hardly tell the difference from a real bunch. A beautiful bunch of artificial flowers really brightens up your home. But is it a pity you always have to look at the same bunch? There's a solution for that too: at bloemenbieb Reflower you take out a subscription to artificial flowers. You can change the bunch and vase as often as you like.
Artificial flowers from Reflower, can you tell the difference? And dried flowers are also a good choice. You can last for years with these.
Choose sustainable dried flowers
Of course, we remember the eternal bunch of dried flowers at your grandmother's house in the 1970s. But today's dried flowers are really of a different calibre. Dried flowers are hip, brighten up your interior and last for months, what do I say, years. So you can still enjoy your bunch and make a sustainable choice!
Make or buy felt flowers
Another sustainable option that should definitely not be missing from the list are flowers made of felt. You can make them yourself or take a workshop to learn how to make such a beautiful bunch of flowers yourself. If you don't feel like doing that, you can go to felt florist Picking Daphne the perfect bunch, she will lovingly create something special for you.
You can also make your own flowers from other fabrics, such as old jeans. In this article, DIY expert Melanie explains to you step by step how to make your own flowers from leftover fabrics.
Build your own LEGO sustainable flowers
We find this option very funny ourselves: build a bunch of flowers from LEGO bricks. There are special kits for this. By the way, we think this is also a very nice gift tip. After all, you don't want to arrive at a party empty-handed. And then flowers are easily the first choice.
The best choice in sustainable flowers
Of course, what is the best choice in sustainable flowers is entirely up to your taste. Alternatives such as dried flowers, silk or even LEGO flowers are all more sustainable choices. But if you'd rather not give up on your live flowers, fortunately there are plenty of sustainable choices out there. Consciously choosing flowers from Dutch fields, organic flowers from a labelled florist or picking your own flowers from a picking garden are all nicer choices.
More sustainable inspiration from thegreenlist.nl
- Also curious What's wrong with wine and how to choose wine more sustainably?
- If you want to get started with a sustainable lifestyle on more levels, check out this list of free tests with which to scrutinise your lifestyle.
- Do you like peanut butter? Then definitely check out the big sustainable peanut butter taste test.
Photo credits: main image: thegreenlist.nl, other: Angela de Vlaming (Reflower), dried flowers: Inga (Pexels).
