Buy flowers from an organic florist

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you’re probably buying flowers for the special people in your life. But with all the options out there, it’s hard to pick the right flowers and we’re here to help. One way to spoil your sweetie (and earn 10 points on Practically Green!) is to buy organic flowers. If you can check this off your list, you’re one step closer to earning the Date Night Badge!

Giving flowers, especially on Valentine’s Day, is a lovely gesture, and it’s even better to be on the receiving end! But if you buy conventional, pesticide-doused flowers, you may be offering—or getting—more than natural beauty and sweet scents. According to Planet Green, 79 percent of cut flowers found in the United States come from Ecuador or Columbia and are grown with 12 different potentially hazardous pesticides. Some of these pesticides have been banned in the U.S., or are used in amounts that exceed our regulations.

Unlike conventional florists, organic florists sell flowers that have been grown according to strict standards that prohibit the use of harmful synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

These flowers look beautiful, but are they organic?

Why is this action so important? According to Jennifer Grayson’s recent HufFPost Green article on the Environmental Cost of Cut Flowers, 200 million stems of roses are bought in the US on Valentine’s Day alone, so if everyone were to buy an organic bouquet it would have a huge impact!

Good news: most organic bouquets aren’t more expensive than non-organic ones. They tend to last longer, too! Supporting organic florists encourages more growers to convert to organic and sustainable practices.

If you can’t pick you own unsprayed wildflowers, buying locally grown organic flowers is as green as it gets.

Beautiful, and organic! Check out CaliforniaOrganicFlowers.com for their full selection of organic flowers

We love Jennifer’s suggestion of forgoing supermarket cut flowers, which, organic or not, ultimately end up in the landfill (unless you compost flowers and yard waste which earns you 50 points) by choosing rare heirloom seeds and a cute vintage flowerpot. Such a fun way to celebrate the sweetness of the holiday, without the less romantic environmental impact!

At only $1.75 for these California poppy seeds, you can afford to splurge on a few packets!