Sustainability
‘ It’s surely our responsibility to do everything within our power to create a planet that provides a home not just for us, but for all life on Earth’
Sir David Attenborough
Traditional floristry had a fairly low impact on the environment as the blooms were sourced locally and seasonally and the techniques employed were greener and involved reusing most containers.
In the second half of the 20th Century commercial floristry and floriculture expanded rapidly resulting in the growing of flowers, mainly in the Netherlands, using much more intensive methods such as heated and lighted greenhouses to supply flowers cheaply and all year round.
The use of single use plastics and packaging also boomed in this period and with the introduction of Oasis foam (made from a type of plastic), the eco credentials of the industry declined massively. Fortunately things are now slowly changing with new biodegradable and fully compostable products being introduced all the time and also consumers demanding less plastic waste, sustainable techniques and locally sourced, seasonal and ethically grown flowers.
I try to live as sustainably as possible and I have carried this over to my floristry work and this is reflected in my choice of materials, blooms and the techniques I use; I now use Agra Natural Floral FoamTM that is 100% degradable and is even said to improve soil quality if spread on the garden following use. When necessary I also use Oasis® Bio foam that is 90% biodegradable and Naturebase® containers which fully break down within six months. I have also sourced biodegradable cellophane and ribon and use where possible natural packaging such as hessian and paper. I also try to use techniques that don’t require the use of single use plastics, such as reusable containers, chicken wire and mossed bases. I also try to source my flowers and foliage from local growers that use little or no chemicals and no artificial lighting or heating. When seasonal availability becomes an issue, I explore alternative materials to work with such as berries, dried materials and interesting foliage. Living and working sustainability is a journey and although I’m working hard, I’m still a long way off and unfortunately still need to buy and use some plastic items, but to reduce waste I will offer discount codes for any items returned to me in a reusable condition. If you’d like any further information on the products and their eco credentials please take a look at these websites:
