Who needs flowers anyway?

What's wrong with flowers?

Valentine's Day means cut flowers are in high demand. We in Germany are such big flower fans that a good 80% of the cut flowers sold here have to be imported because our demand is simply too high. Even though flowers may seem completely organic and green, they actually have a poor environmental footprint.
This is due to several factors. Valentine's Day is in February, a rather cold month in Germany. The typical flowers for a bouquet aren't yet growing wild. This means the flowers are either imported to Germany via long transport routes (e.g., roses often from Kenya). Many flowers are flown in specifically for the big day (and for the rest of the year). If they don't come from far away, but it's still too cold for colorful bouquets, they are likely grown in heated greenhouses, requiring a lot of energy . This drastically worsens the environmental impact.

Besides seasonality , it's important to pay attention to how the flowers were grown and harvested. Organic and Fairtrade labels are important indicators here. Conventional farming involves high pesticide use and water consumption . This is bad for the planet and absolutely terrible for workers and local residents. A single rose from Kenya, for example, consumes an average of 4 liters of water before harvesting – a resource that is particularly precious there. Keep an eye out for Fairtrade labels , as the industry often neglects wages and safety, while extreme working hours and even child labor are not uncommon.

How to buy flowers better.

• Perhaps the person would enjoy growing the flowers themselves. This year, why not give them a few seed bombs for a beautiful, colorful bee-friendly garden or balcony? Your loved ones can then enjoy them for much longer.
• If you absolutely must have flowers, make sure they are Fairtrade and organically grown.
• Support your locals and try to buy flowers from your region.
• Stick to a seasonal bouquet. If you're not quite sure what's in season in February, take a look at our wildflower calendar .
• They're guaranteed to be seasonal if you simply pick a bouquet yourself.