With their vibrant colours and aroma, they brighten up our gardens, walkways, and homes. We use them to express our love on special occasions like anniversaries, and weddings. But despite all the positive feelings they inspire, bought flowers are not as flawless as they seem.
How can flowers be anything but beautiful, you ask? The business of growing and selling flowers is an industry in need of environmental reform like any other. Just because they’re grown in dirt with water and light doesn’t mean they are natural!
According to the Sierra Club of Canada, flower cultivation requires more pesticides than any other agricultural product. Most flowers sold in Canada are now being imported from Latin America where growers are paid wages as measly as 58 cents a day. Apart from poor remuneration, workers are exposed to the harsh chemicals used to keep pests away and preserve the flowers for the long distances they travel.
an ecoflora creation
But like every dirty environmental truth, it doesn’t have to be this way, and there are alternatives.
The solution is found in supporting flowers that have been sustainably grown and harvested – namely certified organic. While there are not a ‘bunch’ of organic flower companies on the market, you may find a vendor in your neighbourhood by visiting Sierra Eco Label, an organization that supports and markets the sale of flowers from socially and environmentally responsible farms.
In my neck of the woods (Toronto), the company ecoflora delivers a fair trade organic bouquet. Isn’t that beautiful?
