I never really thought twice about buying flowers until now. Why, you ask? Well, I had heard about unfair labor conditions in other countries like Columbia or the Carribean like with the flower of love, the rose, from a family friend. According to Rose Trade and the Environment, in Columbia 80 percent of the 80,000 people in the flower industry are women. They work in hazardous environments like hot greenhouses which cause medical problems like headaches, nausea, skin and finger nail infections due to pesticides and more, according to Rose Trade and Environment. Now those are some interesting statistics. It's amazing that such a beautiful smelling plant has an ugly background.
Aside from the harsh labor conditions that go along with the flower market, people are concerned with purchasing flowers that do not harm the environment. Surprisingly, there are many online florists who sell eco-friendly, organic, and sustainable flowers.
Veriflora is a certification program for sustainable flowers and potted plants. This program guarantees that these plants are produced in an "environmentally and socially responsible manner. The Veriflora certification is conducted by third party affiliate, Scientific Certification Systems. According to SCS, Veriflora "recognizes organic as the top tier in crop production practices. At the same time, it certifies measurable aspects of environmental and social performance that extend well beyond organic."
Here are some of Veriflora's standards that flower farmers must follow:
-sustainable crop production
-resource conservation and energy efficiency
-fair labor practices
-community benefits
-product quality, safety, and purity
Organic Boutique, founded in January 2001, sells flowers that are certified USDA Certified Organic and Veriflora certified. Their goal is to protect the environment and sell flowers that are naturally grown without pesticides.
On their Web site, you can browse through lots of flowers, plants, and wreaths. They had roses, lilies, or an Adopt-A-Minefield Peace wreath. Next to each item you select, the flower or plant's standard is displayed like organic, Veriflora, or Biodynamic, so you know what you are buying.
I think the more conscious and informed we are when it comes to growing plants, flowers, or whatever, we will make better more environmentally and socially safe decisions. When February 14 rolls around, note that Organic Boutique delivers in 48 states.
1 comment:
I have heard about that poor labor conditions that have been set upon third world countries that grows and harvest flowers, though isnt it sad that in almost every sector of the industry(ie, food, clothing, technology) this type of thing happens.
I just wish that we can have a concrete solution for this problem.
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