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Making Mother Earth a priority |
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Written by By Michelle Brisebois
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 April 11, 2011 - The buzzwords are mind-boggling: eco-friendly, local, native, green. Are these terms mutually exclusive or truly points of difference? Actually, they’re different branches of the same tree – sustainability. Whether the objective is to minimize pollution or maximize profitability for local businesses, it’s really about making sure something’s going to be around for a good, long time. Sustainable practices can go the distance. By definition, they’re here to stay, and so we need to stop thinking of them as a fad or flavour of the week. That said, the state of sustainable consumer goods is shifting. There are more sustainable options available to consumers every day, which means it’s not enough anymore to promote our businesses as “green” and await the stampede of customers. The bar has been raised and sustainable options must also be of stellar quality and cost effective. In short: green is going mainstream.
Trendwatching.com reports that “the number one challenge for governments, consumers and businesses (recession or no recession) remains the quest for more environmentally sustainable societies and economies. When it comes to 'green consumption', expect a rise in eco-superior products: products that are not only eco-friendly, but superior to polluting incumbents in every possible way. Think a combination of eco-friendly yet superior functionality, superior design, and/or superior savings.” As “green” choices proliferate, so does false advertising around them. A recent review of 5,296 products by Ottawa-based environmental marketing firm TerraChoice discovered at least one misleading green claim on 95.6 per cent of the items they reviewed. Is it any surprise that the public is so wary of eco-friendly claims?
In an industry that depends so heavily on natural materials, it’s a great fit to go green in the flower shop. Diane Levings of Full Bloom Flowers in Vancouver, B.C., has run her eco-friendly flower shop since 1987. Almost a quarter of a century later, she’s more convinced than ever that walking the talk is the only way to convince customers you’re sincere when it comes to green floral practices. “We are organically green in terms of our eco-friendly practice,” she shares. “We’ve recycled greens and used paper since our inception. It’s who we are at our core.”
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Of course, to be able to calculate the “floral miles” and tell the origin stories behind your
arrangements will require you as the florist to be curious about where your flowers come from.
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Because Levings has made environmentally sound practices a priority in her shop for many years, customers recognize this and often seek her out. This was true when Valentine’s Day rolled around this year. “Every rose I sold this past Valentine’s Day was eco-friendly and from a Fair Trade source,” says Levings. “I asked everyone who came in that day if they knew the roses were eco-friendly/fair trade. A fair number did know and had come in for that very reason but there were still many who didn’t know. Educating our customers about eco-friendly options is so important.” As to how to spread the word, Levings points out that event planners are on the vanguard of change when it comes to embracing sustainable and eco-friendly options. “Events are starting to go green,” she shares. “We did the arrangements for a 100-mile event, so everything in the arrangements was sourced from within 100 miles. Each arrangement had a tag listing what was in it and how far the components had travelled.” It’s a fabulous way to promote awareness for local producers and to educate consumers as to the environmental impact of other choices.
Of course, to be able to calculate the “floral miles” and tell the origin stories behind your arrangements will require you as the florist to be curious about where your flowers come from. “I talk to industry leaders and develop relationships with the local growers,” says Levings. She’s quick to point out that it takes effort to understand the big picture for each component you’re sourcing. “A local flower may have fewer miles to travel but if the growing practices aren’t eco-friendly, the organic flower sourced from a foreign grower may be the greener option,” she says. There are so many aspects to consider that you have to truly understand the whole story to make an informed decision. Of course, those eco-stories are important when it comes to how you operate your business too. When asked what sorts of sustainable business practices Full Bloom Flowers embraces regularly, Levings says they use a four-cylinder vehicle for deliveries and try to line up the drops, so there aren’t any one-offs.
Philippa Green of William Thomas Green Florist, also in Vancouver, confirms that they recycle all their considerable waste greens by composting them with a local business in Whistler. “We use very limited packaging – no plastic wrap or boxes used,” she says. “If we have bouquets that need to be wrapped we use recycled brown paper. Business cards and marketing postcards are printed on recycled paper. Deliveries are done in a hybrid car. We will use Fair Trade baskets, ceramic vases and wooden vessels to complement the flowers.”
Florists may worry that locally sourced flowers offer a limited range of options, but those little gems found nearby can sometimes surprise us. When asked for examples of local flowers that delighted them, both Green and Levings have their favourites. “When the Asiatic lily is in season they are beautifully big, rich in colour, smell and extremely vibrant. An extra large arrangement of all white Asiatic lilies is stunning,” shares Green. For Levings, finding a local source of anthuriums (a flower normally found in Hawaii) was a nice surprise.
Environmentally friendly business practices may feel like a fad, but indicators suggest they’re here to stay. When asked what role florists play in environmental stewardship, Levings sums it up this way: “Florists should be leaders. After all, we use the Earth to grow our product.” Compelling motivation indeed.
Canadian moms more conscious of the environment
Canadian moms care broadly about environmental issues – and they care
more about protecting the environment these than moms in the U.S. or
U.K. A recent survey conducted by the Natural Marketing Institute on
behalf of P&G’s Future Friendly program found that 69 per cent of
Canadian moms care about protecting the environment, versus only 45 per
cent of moms in the U.S. and 48 per cent of moms in the U.K. With many
(53%) Canadian moms buying as many eco-friendly products as they can,
they are already taking the important small steps to reduce their
family’s eco footprint.
While making environmentally-friendly choices is a priority for
Canadian moms, product performance remains imperative. According to a
second survey conducted by TNS on behalf of Future Friendly, most
Canadian moms (80%) want to do their part for the environment, without
sacrificing on product performance. In addition, approximately 90 per
cent of Canadian moms would switch to a green alternative of their
current trusted home cleaning brand – clearly demonstrating an appetite
for eco-friendly cleaning products. The Future Friendly line of products
was designed to meet these very demands – it helps consumers reduce
their impact on the environment while still using their favourite brands
which are both effective and competitively priced.
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