It’s Valentine’s Day next week! For many, including me, Valentine’s Day will not be complete without giving flowers to their loved one. Flower shops all over the world will make a killing on this red-letter day. In Manila, the Dangwa flowers market in Dimasalang will probably be overflowing with people.
Did you know that the global flower production is a multibillion-dollar industry? That’s trillion in pesos. Valentine’s Day is one of the top occasions for sending flowers, along with Mother’s Day and Christmas. In the Philippines, All Saint’s Day is a florist’s day too.
Before buying those roses, tulips and other blooms, let me cite what it cost to produce them. I’m not talking about financial cost, but rather the cost to the environment and human health, as well as to finite natural resources like water. This will allow us to make a conscious decision to buy or not, or to seek alternatives. A bouquet of flower may bring temporary joy to your loved one, but a deeper expression of love is to give them a healthy environment.
First, the concern on global warming. According to some figures I got from environmental websites, the cut-flower production can emit as high as 3 kg of Carbon Dioxide per flower. The emission of greenhouse gas comes from transporting and refrigerating the flowers. For imported ones, that includes air freight. The emission of heat-trapping gas is even greater for some flower-exporting countries like the United Kingdom and Netherlands (famous for tulips) where some flowers are grown in heated greenhouses.
Another issue is chemical pollution. The cut-flower industry is a short-cycle production process that requires the extensive use of agrochemicals which may have a negative impact to the soil, air, and water supply. In some countries, the use of these chemicals is not regulated because flowers are non-food crops. Some chemicals used in the floricultural industry in developing countries are either banned or untested in developed countries like the United States. Thus, it is possible that the flower you are giving your loved ones is contaminated with pesticides or other chemicals. They may have been sprayed too with preservatives to extend their life.
The danger of chemical contamination is not just to the consumers but to industry workers and their families as well. A group of US and Ecuadorian researchers found that children living close to Ecuador’s floricultural greenhouses had altered short term brain activity. These children may have been exposed to their parent’s contaminated clothing, tools and shoes.
Lastly, water use is an issue. According to a study done in Kenya, the water footprint per rose stem varies from 7 to 13 liter. A dozen roses therefore would use about 84 liters of water to produce. Potable water is increasingly becoming scarce. Using this limited resource for non-food application will be a problem in the near future.
So, to lessen the impact to the environment and people, we may want to buy local flowers. They have less carbon footprint. Better to give roses in pots. They will provide flowers all year round. After all, it’s the thought that counts.