PARIS (Reuters) – It’s the classic romantic combination: Valentine’s Day in Paris, the city of love and a gift of red roses. But some Parisian florists try to wean customers off the flowers because of their ecological cost.
Most roses sold in France for Valentine’s Day, a peak sales period for the global flower industry, must be imported by air from countries such as Kenya, which causes carbon emissions that they contribute to climate change.
Florists concerned about the environmental damage from this trade say there are viable alternatives that can be grown locally and try to encourage customers to try them.
They face an upward struggle, because the tradition of giving red roses on Valentine’s Day, which falls on February 14, is so ingrained in many cultures.
Hortense Harang, founder of an online flower shop called “Fleurs d’Ici” (French for “Flowers from here”), has been at the forefront of the campaign to wean people from roses.
“Red roses are so 1950s,” he said.
“Roses are an inescapable thing this season, because it basically doesn’t make sense to buy roses. Roses do not grow below our latitudes this season.
His campaign has garnered support. “It doesn’t make sense to have flowers on the other side of the planet if we can get them locally,” said Edith Besenfelder, a 46-year-old Parisian florist who works with local and seasonal flowers.
But old habits die hard. Celine Argente, owner of the 40-year-old Sylvine Florist in Paris, said she had encouraged customers to buy red tulips to declare their love. But despite that, his store this week was full of red roses to meet demand.
“It’s a classic that people can’t change,” he said. “The red rose is still the flower of Valentine’s Day.”
Written by Christian Lowe; Edited by Alison Williams