When planning your wedding or event there are important ethical questions to consider, and many times it involves flowers. Here are some questions we think may help guide you in ethical decision making when you decide to have ethical wedding flowers be part of your event.
1. What type of flowers bring YOU joy and why?
Forget everyones else’s opinions on what they think would be the right choice for your ethical wedding flowers. If you feel a small bouquet of wild flowers would be suitable for your wedding than that’s the right choice. But perhaps you decide lots of flowers are important for your wedding the next question to ask is where will you be purchasing these flowers.
2. Where are the flowers grown, are they locally grown on a sustainable farm or are they imported?
Also it would be beneficial to know if they were grown with little or no pesticides. Many imported flowers are grown on farms where they treat the workers unjustly and take a terrible toll on the people who farm them and on the environments where they are made.
Make sure the flowers you purchase are fair trade and buy locally when possible to decrease your carbon footprint.
3. Will the florist be using floral foam?
Floral foam is non-biodegradable petroleum byproduct that contains toxic elements, including formaldehyde, barium sulfates and carbon black. These elements are carcinogenic, and prolonged exposure may cause cancer. Your florist may be able to use wires, pebbles and stones as an alternative to floral foam in certain arrangements and alternatives to floral bouquets.
4. What to do with all the ethical wedding flowers at the end of the event?
This is where Reflower Project can help you. Our organization will coordinate with your florist or event planner a convenient time to pick up your flowers at the conclusion of your event. The following day we will deliver the flowers to a community center, such as a nursing home, cancer support center, women shelter, etc. We can work with you to decide what type of community center you would like your flowers delivered to. Your flowers can continue to spread beauty and happiness to those in the community who could use it the most. Vases are recycled and reused for future use. We also compost any excess blooms and greenery to minimize waste production when repurposing the flowers.
5. How can I donate my flowers in my area?
On our Reflower Project instagram feed, hashtag #shareyourweddingflowers we have highlighted fellow flower organizations and companies committed to helping you donate your wedding flowers and spread joy to others after your wedding or event. Also you may refer to our directory www.gogreengiveback.com for a list of event vendors, companies and organizations who believe in sustainability and giving back to others.
About The Reflower Project
The Reflower Project is a non-profit organization run by a caring individuals who “re-purpose” and deliver flowers to community centers. Our goal is to be “green” and we are dedicated to improving the health of the environment and well being of our community. We serve the Boston and South Shore, MA areas.
The Reflower Project is dedicated to reusing your donated ethical wedding flowers to bring happiness and joy to others. After your wedding, corporate or social event your flowers will continue to spread cheer in the community. We also receive flower donations from local flower retailers and wholesalers. We will also happily accept vases. Being environmentally friendly we aim to use or recycle all of the donated flower arrangements.
The Reflower Project has always been guided by the importance of overall health and wellbeing of not only for our community but the overall health of the environment. We believe in using the healing power of repurposed flowers to spread joy and happiness in the community.
There are tons of eco friendly bouquet options and alternatives to floral bouquets. Browse the blog for more green wedding ideas!
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