Many couples that hold eco-friendly lifestyles are opting for simple and conservative weddings rather than extravagant and expensive events. Brides are looking for ways to choose eco-friendly wedding flowers without compromising their dream look. Learn how to make your celebration an eco-friendly one by using local, in-season flowers.
1. Buy Flowers Locally
Many flowers sold in large big-box stores are grown in greenhouses in South America or Asia. Transporting your flowers such a long distance increases fuel consumption and drastically reduces the number of days your flowers will stay fresh. Ask your florist about in-season, local flowers to ensure that you are getting the freshest, eco-friendly flowers.
2. Pesticide Free and In-Season
“To produce flowers quickly and cheaply industrial flower farmers use massive amounts of carcinogenic pesticides and herbicides, using energy-consuming, growth-stimulating strategies. Intense fertilizers, growth hormones and artificial lighting are used to force flowers to grow faster and out of season.” Source: http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=1691&catId=6
These pesticides can be harmful to you and to flower industry workers. Ask your local florist what flowers are available in-season to make a lower footprint on the environment.
3. Reuse Your Flowers
Instead of having your beautiful flower arrangements and bouquets tossed in the trash, consider giving them a second life. Donate your flowers to a hospital, nursing home or women’s shelter. Fresh flowers are almost always welcome and spread joy to those going through a tough time.
I want to get some flowers, but I want to make sure that they are good for the environment. It makes sense that I would want to find some that were grown without pesticide! That’s much better for the environment, after all.