Monday, February 6, 2012

Green Your Valentine's Day: Consider the Flowers

Green Your Valentine's Day: Consider the Flowers:

Valentine's tulipsOn Valentine's Day, don't forget to extend your love to Mother Earth. This week's tips should help you do just that, even as you celebrate the biggest Hallmark holiday there is.


Tip #1: Choose responsible blooms.


Conventional flowers can have 50 times more pesticides on them than is legal to have on food. That's just one reason to go with organic flowers, which are grown without pesticides. Look for the VeriFlora seal or go to OrganicBouquet.com, a carbon-neutral company that not only sells pesticide-free flowers but also gives their workers in underdeveloped countries zero-interest loans, healthcare, and education.


Other ideas for floral gift-giving include buying local and seasonal, as 80% of flowers sold in the U.S. are imported on refrigerated airplanes from Colombia and Ecuador. Give home-grown blooms if you can, or buy what’s in season (like tulips and Dutch irises) from a farmers’ market. Consider, too, that a potted plant will last much longer than that plastic-wrapped bouquet.


Tell us: What floral gifts do you plan to give this Valentine's Day?

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