Cutting back on plastic

Plastic is all over the news at the moment for all sorts of different reasons but the main thing we can take from it is that we are using too much of it and we’re ruining the planet in the process. This has led us to review the amount of plastic we use in our business and how we can cut back or avoid using plastic. It’s not an easy task as it has been ingrained deep within the floristry culture.

For starters all our flowers we buy arrive in our shop wrapped in plastic. This is removed by us to display the flowers in the shop but then as soon as we sell them we ‘gift wrap’ our flowers using cellophane. This is then discarded as soon as the flowers are unwrapped and adds yet more plastic to the bin. Not to mention the floral foam that is used to arrange flowers.

So what are you going to do about it I can hear you ask? Well, this year is going to be the start of becoming green. We’re going to tackle the amount of plastic that we use and will encourage any form of recycling to do our bit. We already recycle our card board but sadly the company that we use to collect our waste is not able to recycle our plastic. I have decided to change our waste carrier for one that does recycle plastic so that we can help doing our bit.

What does this mean for you our customer? 
Hopefully you will also consider the amount of plastic you ask us to use and will appreciate our alternative ways of wrapping flowers as we will start using more environmentally friendly alternatives to cellophane like craft paper and raffia. At the end of the day the materials the flowers are wrapped in are just a 
bi-product, it is the flowers that everyone is interested in. Whilst the overall presentation is important, how we handle the waste at the end is even more important if we would like to preserve our beautiful planet for future generations.

Instead of wrapping the hand tied bouquets in cellophane we will source alternative suitable containers that will be carrying the water and can be easily recycled afterwards so that we can 
re-use the same item on another order. Anything that you have received from us and choose to return will be used again if it is in good enough condition or otherwise we will recycle it for you. 
We’ll keep you updated each month with the steps that we have taken and what we have achieved. You have to start somewhere after all so we're determined to give it a go and we're sure that our customers will appreciate our efforts and will join us in our plea to become even greener than we already are.