I recently watched this fascinating film from The Guardian about the flower producing industry in Kenya and the impact on the local environment and community. It shocked me that that the local community has to compete with the flower industry for such a vital resource as water.
It is easy to overlook the hidden or virtual water use needed to produce many of the products we buy. IBM’s Smarter Planet website includes a great summary of water use for common products, some of which are startling.
And if you have ever wondered where those flowers in that Mother’s Day bouquet come from the Flowers and Plant Association publishes a list of the main countries supplying each flower variety.
Belgium – pot plants
Canary Islands – chrysanthemums, roses
Caribbean – tropicals, foliage
Chile – carnations, roses
Colombia – standard & spray carnations, roses
Denmark – pot plants
Ecuador – carnations, roses
Holland – all flowers and pot plants
India – roses
Israel – roses, gypsophila, waxflower, anigozanthos, all summer flowers
Italy – carnations, chrysanthemums, foliage, foliage plants
Kenya – roses, carnations, spray carnations, statice
Malta – chrysanthemums, `Paper White’ narcissi
Morocco -spray carnations
South Africa – proteas, strelitzia, roses, exotics
Spain – carnations, chrysanthemums
Thailand – orchids
Turkey – spray carnations
Venezuela – carnations, roses
