We are often asked: ' How sustainable are silk flowers or artificial flowers compared to fresh flowers? ' Milieu Centraal does not have exact figures about the climate impact of artificial flowers, yet they do say: 'the sum is quickly made'...
- Fresh cut flowers use a lot of energy; greenhouses and refrigerated transport result in significant carbon emissions, which continue to be subsidized.
- Fresh cut flowers require a large amount of water and the use of pesticides to maintain their freshness and beauty, all for the short lifespan of about two weeks.
In contrast, silk flowers require a minimal amount of energy and water to produce, require no pesticides and have a significantly longer lifespan.
We would like to have exact figures to compare fresh and artificial flowers, but unfortunately that is not available because apparently the sum is obvious. What we do know is: 'the Dutch greenhouse horticulture sector emitted 4.9 megatons of CO₂ in 2022. This is approximately comparable to the emissions from the Chemelot industrial complex in South Limburg or the chemical giant Dow in Terneuzen'.
To absorb those 4.9 megatons of CO₂, 245,000,000 trees must grow for a year. For this you need 2,450,000 km2 of forest, which is 60 times the size of the Netherlands...
We are also very shocked by this sum, we checked it 4 times, unfortunately it is correct...
Sources: FD, Energy Monitor of the Netherlands, climateneutralgroup
Read the full article: https://fd.nl/bedrijfsleven/1501773/kunstbloemen-smakeloos-je-ziet-het-veilig-bijna-niet-meer