Conscious Choice: Where to Buy Organic Flowers

April 2004

Where to Buy Organic Flowers

Dear Co-op America, I love flowers, but I don’t love the pesticides used to grow them. Are there any sustainable alternatives? — Blooming Curious in Missouri

YOU’RE RIGHT — conventionally grown flowers are riddled with chemical pesticides, which harm workers, the environment and even consumers. You can always grow your own organic flowers to enjoy and give away. Or, see if your local florist or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm sells organic flowers. You’ll not only get the benefits of chemical-free flowers, but you’ll save transportation costs and energy. If no local florists carry organic flowers, ask them to do so.

Diamond Organics (888-674-2642) and Organic Bouquet (877-899-2468) offer USDA-certified organic flowers that you can ship across the U.S.

Dear Co-op America, I’ve been hearing a lot about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). What are the benefits to joining a CSA program, and how do I find a CSA farm near me? — Desperately Seeking Veggies in Tucson, AZ

GREAT QUESTION — spring is definitely the time to start looking into CSA programs. CSA farms sell “shares” to local residents, guaranteeing them a portion of the farm’s produce for one season, usually lasting from late spring until early fall. Farmers harvest ripe vegetables — and sometimes fruits, herbs and flowers as well — and distribute them to shareholders on a weekly basis.

The benefits of joining a CSA program are many: 1) You’ll support sustainable farming by minimizing the distance your food travels, reducing energy use and pollution. 2) You’ll support small family farmers, who are often the best stewards of the land. Many CSA farms are organic, and those that aren’t tend to use proportionally fewer chemicals than large agribusiness farms. 3) You’ll expand your kitchen repertoire. Belonging to a CSA can introduce you to new and unusual produce. Many CSAs publish newsletters with recipes for the week’s vegetables. 4) Eating a variety of vegetables will give you a greater range of vitamins and minerals and eating more vegetables is better for your overall health.

CSAs generally sell shares in the spring, so find one and sign up soon. To locate a CSA in your area, consult the Robyn Van En Center for CSA Resources (717-264-4141) or Local Harvest.

Dear Co-op America, in honor of Earth Day, I’d like to make a donation to combat global warming. Where will my dollars be most effective? — Susie in Pittsburgh, PA

THANK YOU for working for an end to climate change. Consider purchasing “green tags.” Green tags are widely traded commodities that represent the environmental benefits of renewable energy generation. They were developed by the energy industry to support green power facilities. People buy green tags for their investment value, to offset greenhouse gas emissions or in lieu of purchasing green power when it’s unavailable to them.

One such program Co-op America enthusiastically recommends is NativeEnergy’s WindBuilders program. NativeEnergy uses the revenue from their green tags to finance construction of new renewable energy facilities owned by Native Americans or family farmers, rather than supporting an existing facility. Instead of giving you the green tags you buy, NativeEnergy donates them to Clean Air — Cool Planet, a nonprofit that works to fight climate change.

In other words, the money you send to WindBuilders works triple time: it supports construction of renewable energy facilities; it supports sustainable economic development for Native Americans and family farmers; and it supports a nonprofit working to end global warming.

If you mention Co-op America when you sign up for WindBuilders, NativeEnergy will also make a donation to our green energy programs. To join, visit their web site or call 800-924-6826.

Living Green is brought to you by Co-op America, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that provides green living, purchasing, and investing tips and resources. To join Co-op America and get a free copy of the National Green Pages™ directory of green businesses, contact 800/58-GREEN. If you have a question for Living Green, click to e-mail.

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