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Say it with Organic Flowers to Help the Planet

When we think “organic,” we think of fruits and vegetables and protecting our families from eating dangerous pesticides. But flowers can be grown organically as well. And buying flowers that are chemical-free matters just as much – whether they go in our bellies or not.

Flowers that are grown with the use of pesticides contribute to air and water pollution. Runoff from these chemicals may enter local water supplies, harm those who do the farming, and most certainly harm the soil.

What’s more, pesticides aren’t necessary for growing flowers. Unfortunately, the majority of all cut flowers sold in the United States (62 percent) come from Columbia, which follows no government regulations for the enormous amounts of pesticides used to grow flowers in its greenhouses.

Americans who wish to buy organic cut flowers can do so by looking for those that are certified as organically grown. These are now sold under the VeriFlora certification program, launched by U.S. consumers, growers and retailers, such as Whole Foods Market, which sells organic cut flowers. In 2005, U.S. consumers bought $16 million worth of organic flowers. Even some growers in Colombia and other countries, such as Ecuador, export organic flowers under the VeriFlora label.

Another option is growing organic flowers in your home garden. By mulching with organic material, using compost to maintain healthy soil and landscaping appropriately, it’s easy to grow flowers without the use of chemicals.

So the next time you want to say something with flowers, make sure your message also says you care about the health of the planet: Express yourself organically.

For more information about this story, click here.

For tips on how to grow flowers organically in your own garden, visit http://www.organicgardentips.com/ and http://www.doityourself.com/stry/organicflowerfarming. For information on where to buy organic flowers nationwide, click here.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org