Flower Kingdom - Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Flower Kingdom - Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Posted by Flower Kingdom on April 22, 2020 | Last Updated: June 11, 2024 General

Why You Should Care About Environmentally Friendly Floristry

Life would be a lot less special and plenty more dull without flowers. The wonderful colors, fragrance, shapes, and sizes are some of the most beautiful and remarkable things this planet gives us. Flowers are there for us to mark special occasions in our life, to express our love for someone, or just because they are glorious to have around. It’s important, then, that we make sure flowers remain available and affordable for future generations by being cognizant of how they are farmed, transported, and eventually delivered to us. Here at Flower Kingdom, the best florist in Palm Beach, we practice environmentally friendly floristry in order to reduce the size of our carbon footprint.

Flowers in a Field

What Is Environmentally Friendly Floristry?

Also known as Eco-Friendly Floristry and Sustainable Floristry, it’s a movement that encourages florists to perform environmentally conscious practices in the farming of flowers and in their day-to-day work life as well. Most people are unaware that the majority of flowers sold in the U.S. are imported from other countries. Besides the environmental cost of packaging and transporting flowers from hundreds of miles away, many of these countries don’t regulate their farms which leads to abuse of labor, overuse of pesticides, and large farmlands being carved out the land creating soil erosion and damaging the ecosystems around them.

Growing Buds

How Florists Are Helping Save the Environment with Eco-Friendly Floristry

 

Slow Flowers

Slow Flowers are flowers which are grown locally, or as close as possible, and done so in an environmentally friendly manner. Purchasing slow flowers cuts down on the environmental costs of transporting flowers from far away. It’s better for the environment and it supports local economies.

No Foam

Green floral foam used to be a staple in many florist’s shops, but it is a one-time use plastic that is made up of harmful compounds and is not bio-degradable. It breaks down into microplastic which is terrible for our ocean, marine life, and humans as well. Using other, more earth-friendly mechanics for building arrangements instead of green foam is the future of floristry.

Waste Management

Cutting down on waste, conserving water, and composting are all practices which are beneficial to the environment. Some florists also use energy-efficient cooler and movement sensor lighting to reduce their carbon footprint.

Recycling

Recycling boxes, papers, bottles goes a long way and is an easy practice to maintain.

Reduce Plastic

Cutting down on the use of plastic in any possible is something we should all practice. Instead of wrapping flowers in plastic, recycled newspapers or other earth-friendly material will work. The same with tags and cards – other materials can be used for these instead of plastic.

Repurpose Leftovers

Florists often donate unused flowers to charities, nursing homes, hospitals, etc., or create special, unique designs with them. The point is to use up everything and let nothing go to waste.

Flowers in a Greenhouse

How You Can Help

Shop Locally – and support local flower shops and your own community

Skip the Grocery Store Flowers – usually of less quality and from questionable farms, you’ll get your money’s worth by going to an actual florist

Recycle Your Blooms – Dry, press, or make potpourri or bath bombs from old flowers. Extend their life instead of just disposing of them.

Blooming Purple Hyacinth

Just being aware of a product’s origin and how you plan to dispose of it, and how its lifecycle affects the environment is a big first step. Then, undertake environmentally friendly practices in your life and support companies that do the same. These small steps will add up to help preserve the beauty of Mother Nature and all she provides for future generations.