Hello Zach. As a committed 'green' I can certainly understand where you're coming from.
But as an incurable romantic!, the thought of not giving flowers is something I couldn't miss out on...To give someone flowers as a gift of love, for an anniversary, as a 'thank you', to cheer them up when they're down etc. and to see that happy smile light up their face is for me one of the joys of life!
I come from England and , for example, the vast majority of carnations on sale in florists/supermarkets here come from Colombia, and the vast majority of roses on sale here come from Ethiopia. If every first world country stopped buying cut flowers, then the flower industries in such countries - major employers - would collapse. The workers would lose their jobs and very likely end up desitute and maybe homeless as well.
Plus, even allowing for air freight, flowers(and vegetables) grown in tropical countries i.e. grown outdoors - more often than not are less energy-intensive than flowers (and vegetables) grown under glass in first world countries. [This is certainly the case in Europe with out of season produce.]
It's a tricky issue. I can see both sides. But I believe it serves the greater good to support our brothers and sisters in the Third World. |