Flower bouquet and flower arrangement are largely using cut flowers. And the cut flowers are the products of intensive farming which is creating a lot of pollution to our environment. Actually, we may reduce the impact of the pollution caused by the production of cut flowers by changing our way of purchasing. We should choose to buy the live potted which plants produced in a more eco-friendly way.
Growing flower using a lot of agrochemical which may cause environmental pollution
Unless the flower you bought is an organic cut flower. Otherwise, in the process of producing the cut flower, farmers will use various kinds of agrochemicals like pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and chemical fertilizers in the process of growing the flowers. Those chemical substances are carcinogenic and may cause harmful effects on the humans health. Its residue will be draining to soil and waterway and pollute the environment. Besides that, the water draining from the farm will bring along the chemicals pollutants to the sea and bring the pollutants into our ecosystem. Besides that, most of the cut flowers are imported from foreign countries, and it has created more carbon cost in transportation! Of course most of the potted plants produced in conventional ways use a lot of agrochemicals also. But the potted plants are more long lasting compare to the cut flowers. Therefore, the amount you bought potted plants is less than the amount you bought cut flowers. And the pollution created in the process of production will much more lessen than the cut flower!
Cut Flower is Not Long Lasting, we need keep Replacing and it has Created More Carbon Footprint and waste
Cut flower is not long lasting, it could last around one week only and wilts after that. On the contrary, potted plants could survive far more than one week if we know how to take care of it. If we choose to use cut flowers for decorating, then we need to keep replacing the cut flowers every week. Using more flowers also means that we need to grow more flowers and transport more flowers. Therefore, we have created more and more carbon footprints due to the increasing of transportation cut flowers. However, if we decorate by potted plants instead of cut flowers. Then, we just need to do some maintenance jobs to keep it alive and no need to keep replacing new potted plants.
Cut Flower or flower bouquet could not Offset the Emission of Carbon in Atmosphere
Compare to cut flowers with potted plants, cut flowers have lost its vitality of life but the potted plants are still living. It still could absorb the carbon dioxide and purify volatile organic compounds in the air. However, the cut flower is not alive anymore after being harvested from the field. It is not like potted plants, it could still absorb carbon dioxide for process of photosynthesis. It also contributes to our environment by absorbing the extra carbon produced by human activities.
Making flower bouquet and flower basket create a lot of non-recyclable waste
Purchase of flower bouquet and flower basket may use a lot of the non-recyclable sponge, wrappers and wire that cannot be recycled or used again. On the contrary, the potting media of potted plants are cocopeat, coco coir or soil. All of the items are degradable and reusable for the next planting. And the pot could be re-use to plant a new plant if the original plant is dead.
The above reasons are why purchasing potted plants is a better choice compared to flower bouquets. We should re-thinking the meaning of sending flowers or potted plants as a plant gift. Which one is a more meaningful way? Which could satisfy the need of sending gifts and in the meantime, to be a responsible person to take care of the sustainability of our planet.