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 Paris florists try to wean customers off the flowers because of their environmental costs.
Most roses sold in France in the run-up to Valentine’s Day, a peak period for the global flower industry, have to be imported by air from countries like Kenya, resulting in CO2 emissions that contribute to climate change.
Florists concerned about the environmental damage of this trade say there are viable alternatives that can be grown locally and they are trying to encourage customers to try them.
They face an uphill battle because the tradition of gifting red roses on Valentine’s Day, which falls on February 14, is so deeply rooted in many cultures.
Hortense Harang, founder of an online flower shop called “Fleurs d’Ici” – French for “Flowers from here” – led the campaign to wean people from roses.
“Red roses are so 1950s,” she said.
“Roses is something that is not allowed at all this season, because it doesn’t really make sense to buy roses. Roses do not grow below our latitudes in this season. “
Her campaign has received support. “It doesn’t make sense to have flowers from the other side of the world if we can get them locally,” said Edith Besenfelder, a 46-year-old florist in Paris who works with local and seasonal flowers.
But old habits die hard. Celine Argente, 40-year-old owner of Sylvine flower shop in Paris, said she encouraged customers to buy red tulips as a way to declare their love. But despite that, her store was packed to the brim with red roses this week to keep up with demand.
“It’s a classic that people can’t change,” she said. “The red rose remains the flower for Valentine’s Day.”
Written by Christian Lowe; Editing by Alison Williams