A more sustainable choice- Decorate with Living Green Plants and reduce the use of Cut Flowers.

 In an era where  decisions should be focused on choices which are more sustainable here is an easy choice.Decorate with Living Green Plants and reduce the use of Cut Flowers.To my knowledge the cut flower industry has evolved into a carbon intensive industry which exists for the most part off shore. (If cut flowers are grown locally that is a different matter.)

As far as I know cut flowers are grown primarily off shore making the growing practice carbon intensive. Please do the math: If grown offshore in third world countries such as Columbia, the cut flowers are  harvested in Columbia, packaged in boxes and placed on aircraft and flown to US Ports. There the cut flowers are then trucked to other locations where the cut flowers are then re transported by delivery truck and installed for ceremonies. And after, straight in the garbage the cut flowers go. That’s a lot of fossil fuel being burned! This cannot be supported as sustainable.  

Cut  Flower Production Practice. Cut flowers have for the most part transferred operations from domestic to third world countries such as Columbia where  labor is cheaper  and the use of chemical pesticides is less restricted . These pesticides may have adverse effects on the children of the workers who toil in cut flower production.

 Why Living Green Plants are a more sustainable practice.  Sustainability means reuse. Cut Flowers should be replaced with more sustainable use of Living Green Plants which also supports our local growers and local industries which are also part of sustainability. After the ceremonial  use, Living Green Plants can go  to the  school classrooms offices  to clean the air of harmful gasses such as benzene, formaldehyde, co2, xylene etc and add oxygen to  indoor air.

Benefits of Living Green Plants. Foliage Plants (or what are called “Houseplants”) are natural air purifiers.  NASA Scientists generated research that  recommend using 1 houseplant  for every 100 square feet of home to help remove toxins and pollutants indoors.   Visit www.O2foryou.org   for more information. Living Green Foliage Plants are the lungs of the planet Earth, as they exchange oxygen for CO2 and are an efficient way to clean indoor air of many environmental contaminants, including benzene, formaldehyde, xylene and other pollutants.

 Thus far what we have initiated at Temple Beth Sholom throughout our campus is the installing of 40  living green plants in 14” pots called Zamioculca which is an indoor plant also known as the ZZ plant, Frequently found in low-light locations such as malls and any areas of the home or office where minimal light shines through, the ZZ is an easy to maintain  true survivor which eliminates Xylene. Please visit the website entitled www.O2foryou.org which gives the NASA Generated science behind the use of Interior Green Plants to “Clean the Air”