Everyone is aware of the importance of choosing sustainable food and energy sources to protect the environment, but you might not realize that your flower delivery or the flowers used to decorate your wedding or corporate event could actually be harming the environment. Believe it or not, some flowers are more eco-friendly than others. At Ah Sam, our San Mateo florists are dedicated to providing high-quality products without sacrificing our commitment to nature.

What Makes a Flower Sustainable?

Like sustainably grown fruits and vegetables, eco-friendly flowers are also produced via environmentally responsible means. Eco-conscious growers produce flowers slowly and naturally, using natural light, safe pesticides, and natural fertilizers. Sustainably grown flowers simply grow, produce oxygen, and don’t harm the environment or the people around them. Sustainable growers also tend to limit their distribution radius, supplying only nearby florists to minimize the impact of long-distance shipping.

How Florists Are Employing Eco-Friendly Practices

Sources Locally

A sustainable florist always strives to source flowers from local, reputable growers. This reduces shipping impact and ensures that flowers are responsibly grown.

Uses Recyclable Materials

A primary practice of sustainable floristry is using recyclable materials whenever it’s possible. Although there is not yet a perfect alternative for florist’s foam, we can always replace plastic bouquet wraps with paper.

Reduces Waste

Eco-friendly florists reduce their waste by making use of every bit of supplies. They also donate unused flowers to hospitals and nursing homes or use them for garden compost.

Offers to Refill Vases

Sustainable florists are always happy to refill and reuse our customers’ vases and other flower containers. We strongly encourage our corporate clients to rotate their vases for filling and also welcome wedding parties to return their vases after the party is over and the flowers are spent.

Promotes Seasonal Flowers

Seasonal flowers are always the freshest, most beautiful, and most affordable flowers available from a florist. If these weren’t enough reasons to love them, they’re also the most sustainably grown.

Sustainability Doesn’t Stop at the Florist: What You Can Do to Help

To get the most out of your sustainably grown bouquet, we recommend pressing it or hanging it to dry. With dried flowers, you can enjoy your happy memories for years to come. If you’d rather not dry your flowers, then you can always give them a second life as fertilizer for your garden or a community garden. All flowers and foliage are fully compostable.

Spring Soiree

The best way to ensure you support sustainability and protect the environment while still enjoying beautifully fragrant bouquets is to order from a local florist whom you know you can trust. When you choose a local florist instead of a nationwide delivery service, you’ll significantly reduce the impact of shipping your flowers. Plus, you’ll always receive a bouquet composed of the freshest, most beautiful blooms available in your area when you order from a local florist. To learn more about how florists at Ah Sam practice sustainability, we welcome you to contact our flower shop.