Every year, just before Valentine’s Day, planes packed with roses fly from places like East Africa and South America to destinations all around the globe. If you’re planning to surprise someone with flowers this Valentine’s, those roses might be on their way right now or sitting in a chilly warehouse in the Netherlands.
This massive operation ensures that the flowers bloom just in time for February 14th. The journey from farm to bouquet can take only a few days. Unfortunately, many of these beautiful flowers won’t make it to market. In fact, hundreds of millions of roses are shipped internationally each week, and some will perish before reaching the hands of their buyers.
But is all this air travel necessary?
Most people may not realize how far their Valentine’s roses have traveled. While it is possible to grow roses in the UK, most won’t be ready until spring. According to Jill Timms and David Bek from the University of Coventry, local growing can’t meet the year-round demand for roses in terms of quantity and variety. Plus, it raises concerns about the sustainability of energy and pesticide use.
Because of this, most roses come from countries with plenty of land and sunlight, and where labor costs are lower. Major flower producers include Colombia, Ecuador, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Interestingly, the Netherlands is the largest exporter of roses. While it does produce some roses in greenhouses, it serves mainly as a crucial hub for flowers that are grown elsewhere.
To keep the blooms fresh during transport, flowers are stored in refrigerated trucks, planes, or ships. Some even get sprayed with chemicals to keep them from wilting.
Timms and Bek also highlight that the method of transport matters. Flowers can travel by sea, air, or even in the cargo holds of passenger planes, each with a different impact on carbon emissions.
Determining a flower’s carbon footprint isn’t easy. Researchers Jennifer Lavers and Fiona Kerslake compared roses from heated greenhouses in the Netherlands to those grown in Kenya. They found that a rose from the Netherlands contributes around 2.91 kg of CO₂ to the atmosphere because of the energy needed for artificial light and heating. In contrast, a rose from Kenya contributes only 0.5 kg of CO₂ due to its natural growing conditions and methods.
While growing roses in the Global South may seem like a low-carbon option, it has its own issues. Paul D. Larson from the University of Manitoba points out that local greenhouses can use as much energy as shipping flowers by air from Colombia to North America.
Moreover, flowers often evade strict pesticide regulations. This can expose workers in flower-producing countries to harmful chemicals, leading to health problems like respiratory issues and skin conditions.
Interestingly, the flower industry in Ecuador and Colombia has roots in attempts to reduce cocaine production. This initiative encouraged farmers to switch from coca leaves to flower cultivation for better market access to the U.S. While the effectiveness of this strategy is debatable, it has significantly reshaped the local economy, pushing many to grow roses for export.
While it might be too much to expect consumers to know exactly how their flowers were grown or the conditions for workers, one can take small steps this Valentine’s Day to make better choices. Timms and Bek suggest considering both environmental and social issues impacting flower production. When you shop, think about the carbon footprint, chemical usage, worker safety, and rights to land. Every choice you make can contribute to a more ethical flower industry.
