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Consumers are balancing the need to watch their wallets with an ongoing interest in environmentally friendly products.
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In the past two years, we’ve all witnessed, and played a role in the “go green” wave as businesses in all sectors rushed to find ways to decrease their environmental impact in order to win over eco-conscious consumers. With the unpredictable economy swinging both up and down, you may be wondering if in today’s economic climate consumers have forgotten about their footprints and are now focused solely on their wallets.
The good news is that the green revolution is still rolling on and now is not the time to get off the wave. Both in Canada and the U.S., politicians have pegged the green movement as a priority and also as a way to create jobs, save money and boost profits. It stands to reason that what has been somewhat of a niche market will become a main focus. According to a recent poll by Green Seal and EnviroMedia Social Marketing, four out of five people in the U.S. say they are still buying green products and services – which sometimes cost more – in the midst of a recession and 19 per cent say they are even buying more. Going green can be a great opportunity for florists as tough times call for innovation and new ideas. Florists can capitalize on becoming more eco-friendly to both save costs and attract new customers.
Tom Leckman of Sierra Flower Trading in Montreal, Que., sees the current economic downturn as fertile environment for the green movement. “When times are tight, people are more conscious of what they consume,” he points out. “There’s not really a significant difference in price for sustainable floral products and in tough economic times getting good value for money is a good message. Sustainable flowers are good value because they’re grown with care and it shows in the final product. If a business is taking a holistic approach to their whole business then there is money to be saved.”
Pam Salisbury, AIFD, CAFA, of Flourish Florals in Kitchener, Ont., sees the eco-floral movement as a creative challenge. “I had this ‘ah ha’ moment when I saw stacks of plastic pots in the garbage,” she says. She was freelancing at a shop and realized these pots weren't going to be recycled. Salisbury brought them home with her to be recycled through her community's waste program. This incident sparked her own business mission - to become a green florist.
Salisbury's worked hard to find alternative to materials to floral design staples such as floral foam. “Material such as chicken wire will break down so that’s what I use in my arrangements,” she says. In order to source out new, environmentally friendly materials, Salisbury attended courses by European designers and spoke with florists who had been in the industry for a number of years to find out which natural materials used to be popular and how she could use them in her shop. “In the last few months, about one third of the requests I’ve received from customers have included an eco or local component,” says Salisbury. If the demand for eco-floral options is present and the products and procedures are in place – which pieces are still missing?
Both Leckman and Salisbury identify education as a huge opportunity for promoting the floral green movement. There appears to be an information gap for both consumers and the industry itself. “If roses are being purchased through auctions, trucks or wholesalers – the contact making the transaction often can’t confirm if the flowers are certified organic or not,” confirms Salisbury. Florists need to talk with their suppliers to find out where the flowers are coming from and if there are any eco-friendly aspects to promote.
The industry itself needs to understand what eco-flowers are before its members can begin educating consumers. “Staff must be engaged in the whole process,” says Leckman. Inform your staff about the eco-benefits of your products so when a customer asks for a green product or a green option in a design, your employees can properly advise them. Salisbury recommends that florists encourage their teams to read the industry information available for their perusal, like trade journals, articles and books.
And don’t forget to walk the walk before you talk the talk – both Leckman and Salisbury agree that eco floral practices can’t be isolated from the rest of your business practices. Sustainability is about many small changes adding up to one big cumulative effect. Use a blue box and train your staff to know the recycling parameters in your area. Consider switching to eco-friendly cleaning supplies and paper or beautiful reusable cloth to wrap arrangements. With all of the media attention around green technology and initiatives, you can be sure that consumers will be noticing even if they don’t bring it up in conversation. Leckman cautions the industry not to assume that consumers don’t care about eco-floral solutions. “Just because there aren’t 100 people knocking at your door asking for eco-flowers doesn’t mean it isn’t still important to them,”
In the end, green initiatives are just one aspect of the larger picture, which is “sustainable practices.” It’s about business practices that don’t hurt the earth, your business or other people. There’s never been a more hospitable climate for sustainable practices to take root. Green business practices are really about balance and that’s a message ready to resonate with everyone. The products are there, the momentum is there – all that’s left is for us to make it happen.
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