Roses: A Sustainable Way to Your Heart? written by Zoe Huspen One particular holiday every year conjures images of chocolate, red hearts, and flowers. Many lovers purchase red roses as a sign of affection for their partner on Valentine's Day. Although roses are a pleasing sight, the journey they take to get to you comes with a hidden cost. The $2 billion dollars spent on flowers by Americans in 2019 were mostly roses that were transported from Latin America. Throughout the year, roses are flown to the United States on passenger planes. As Valentine's Day approaches, 30 cargo jets travel from Colombia and Ecuador to the United States every single day for a threeweek period, resulting in 15,000 tons of flowers to hand to your lover. These flights simultaneously bear symbols of love and environmental impacts. Fossil fuels power the engine of the plane and contribute greenhouse gas emissions to an already precarious climate situation that we find ourselves in. Transportation makes up 28 percent of emissions from the United States. Although roses are not the sole cause of these issues, they do contribute a carbon footprint of about 360,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. Here is a quick guide if you are looking to reduce your environmental impact regarding the purchase of roses this Valentine's Day. 1. Shop locally! Similarly to the fresh produce at your local grocery store, it is environmentally friendly to buy flowers that are in season from a locally grown source. I would suggest supporting your local flower shops in the area, as this will largely reduce the environmental
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