A Valentine's flower guide for helpless enviromantics

How can you reduce the environmental impact of your Valentine's bouquet – and still pick the best of the bunch?

A rose on a black background
A classic Valentine's gift – but how green is the red rose? Photograph: Getty

Greening up the most traditional of Valentine's Day gifts is harder than you'd think, since most cut flowers are imported by plane at this time of year. Fortunately a number of specialist florists mean you can reduce the environmental impact of your blooms by buying locally-grown and Fairtrade options. I've rounded up five below.
Eco concerns
• The CO2 produced from transporting and growing flowers. British-grown flowers such as red tulips are theoretically the best way to reduce the CO2 emitted from growing your stems, but local doesn't always mean low carbon: one study suggested roses grown in Holland had a carbon footprint 15 times larger than those grown in Kenya. Waitrose has a handy calendar that shows which British flowers are in season now.
• Like food crops, flowers are often grown with pesticides. Several reports have raised concern over pesticides, from the World Health Organisation highlighting toxic chemicals used on Colombian flower farms to one study finding DDT in Mexican hothouses. Sadly, organic flowers are hard to come by in the UK – Waitrose is the only supermarket to sell them, but it doesn't stock any at this time of year.
• There's also the ethical issue of low pay for the workers who grow our imported flowers. For a guarantee that a fair wage is being paid, seek out the increasing number of Fairtrade bouquets.
Top 5 green choices
1. Wiggly Wigglers: British-grown seasonal bouquets from £25.
2. Arena Flowers – a selection of flowers, including these £33 gerberas, certified by the Fair Flowers Fair Plants scheme.
3. Scilly Flowers – seasonal bouquets from £25 and up, grown on the Isles of Scilly.
4. The Organic Flower Company – despite the name, TOFC doesn't stock organic blooms at this time of year, but it does have a ban on air-freighted flowers and is selling 50 red tulips for £40.
5. Waitrose – lots of Fairtrade flowers, including sunflowers for £20 and pricier mixed bouquets for £39 and up.
A Valentine Counterclockwise from top left: Waitrose has lots of Fairtrade flowers; tulips from The Organic Flower Company; seasonal flowers from Wiggly Wigglers; Scilly flowers. Photograph: PR

What sustainable stems do you recommend? Let's hear about your favourite ecoflorists and suppliers in the comments below.

Grow Roots

Four years ago I co-founded The Camellia Network, a nonprofit organization set out to change the way youth transitioning out of foster care are viewed and supported.  What I’ve learned through that experience, and through raising my two eldest foster sons, is that what foster youth need more than anything is a community that cares about them. No matter what your personal passion, the advice I offer below is how to grow roots in your own community.
Ask people to tell their stories. Everyone has a story, full of both heartbreak and triumph, but we can’t see their story just by looking at them. Asking people to share allows you to find common ground even when all you see—externally—are differences.
Be real. We have been trained to broadcast our successes and hide our failures. But the truth is this: our failures humanize us, and they connect us to one another. Being truthful about both sides of your story will help you form more honest connections with those you love and admire.
Embrace your elders. Show love and respect to your grandparents and aging neighbors. Talk to them often. Send a letter or card. Help them with chores or errands. Or really make them smile with flowers, which have been shown by a Rutgers University study to ease depression, inspire socialization and refresh memory as we grow older.
Make yourself useful. Everyone has something to give, no matter how much (or little) time you have. Find an organization that inspires you and make a difference while also meeting people that care about the world in the same way you do.
Do what you love to do. Figure out what you love to do, and then go do it!  Take a flower arranging class at your local florist or join a local sports league. You’ll meet people that share your interests, whether they are reading, running, flowers, music and more.

Ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask humbly, genuinely, for help when you need it. People want to help one another; sometimes we just forget to ask. Becoming vulnerable and admitting wecan’t do everything on our own is another way to deepen relationships. Say thank you with flowers, a plant, or another heartfelt expression of gratitude.