|
|
| Conference | |
| About us Feedback Register Contact Advertise Editorial Finditforme | Publications Partners Links Discussions Quiz |
|
|
Channel Homepages
» Home
» Sustainable Business » Green Buildings » Contaminated Land » Water/Wastewater » Waste/Recycling » Energy/Carbon » edie Ireland » Sustainabilitylive! Site SponsorTo see all site sponsors, click here
Supplier Links» Air Pollution Control» Energy Management » Climate Change and Low Carbon » Corporate Social Responsibility |
13 February 2006 Flower air miles cost the climate, study showsBritons spend £1.5bn on millions of cut flowers each year, with the bulk (85%) coming from overseas. A fifth of the imports are from countries outside of the EU, with Kenya and Colombia topping the list. Flowers flown in from Kenya alone are responsible for over 33,000 tonnes of CO2 each year, research released by the Liberal Democrats shows. Over eighteen tonnes of Kenyan roses and carnations are sold in Britain annually, with around a quarter of all roses sold in Britain originating in Kenya. Imports of flowers from Kenya have been rising dramatically, almost doubling between 2001 and 2005. Customers should be able to choose locally grown flowers, avoiding the hidden impact of air transport emissions, the Liberal Democrats argue. Lib Dem shadow environment secretary Norman Baker called for all flowers to be labelled with their country of origin, and pointed out the need to educate the public about the implications of air transport for climate change. He also called for more flowers to be grown locally in the UK. "Consumers should be choosing flowers that cause minimum damage to the environment. This would encourage growers in Britain to supply more flowers to the domestic market." "Sadly the Government needs to be doing much more to create the conditions necessary for such a market to flourish," he said. Labelling would allow consumers make an informed choice, said Steve Telle, Liberal Democrat adviser on transport and the environment. "There has been a lot of discussion around food miles, raising awareness of the emissions from food transport, but most people don't give a second thought to where the flowers they buy come from." Emissions from food transport has been a growing concern, with a recent DEFRA report highlighting the 19 million tonnes of CO2 released in transporting food into the UK - equivalent to 1,8% of the UK's total annual emissions. Air transport has the highest CO2 emissions per tonne, and is the fastest growing means of transporting food. The flower industry has responded to the Liberal Democrats' report by drawing attention to the energy needed to grow flowers in the British climate. "To satisfy the demand for cut flowers in the UK, growers would be doing environmental damage here by growing flowers in artificial conditions through using energy to recreate the light levels and warmth needed to grow flowers. Countries that we import from such as Kenya, Columbia and Ecuador have the climate and space to grow flowers," said Gemma Payne, spokesperson for the Plants and Flowers Association. by
Source:
edie newsroom
This story is tagged with: consumer | transport
Click a keyword to see more stories on that topic,
or view all related news?
 There are no comments - why not make one?You need to be logged in to make a comment. Don't have an account? Set one up right now in seconds! © Faversham House Group Ltd 2006. edie news articles may be copied or forwarded
for individual use only. No other reproduction or distribution is permitted without prior written consent.
|
 You are notlogged in » Log in here Why not register for your free weekly newsletter? Related Stories A survey looking at attitudes to public transport in the UK has concluded that leaving the car at home is seen as one of the key ways individuals can make a difference to the environment.» Electric vehicle charging four times as fast  Technology firm GE has unveiled for the first time a prototype electric vehicle charging point it claims is four times faster than existing models. » Boris Johnson announces cable car Thames crossing plan  London mayor Boris Johnson believes what would be the country's first urban cable car will offer a low carbon transport solution for the capital.» UK's infrastructure feeling the strain - engineers A comprehensive report from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) concludes that some elements of the underlying infrastructure that keep Britain ticking over are creaking at the hinges and need an urgent overhaul to prevent further risks to the environment and the economy.
Related Media» GE announce new fast charging pointsGE announced electric charging points that are four times as fast as standard ones at an event in Munich.
» Energy appraisals - what's involved and how to carry them outABB's latest video explaining how it can help you to maximise the efficiency of your installed motors and drives equipment by carrying out a site-wide energy appraisal.
» Carbon reductions with Global Action PlanEnvironment charity Global Action Plan has worked with edie.net to produce a series of green-themed advice videos. In the first installment how to reduce your carbon footprint.
» See more
|
Send to a friend
Link to this page
| Conference | |
| About us Feedback Register Contact Advertise Editorial Finditforme | Publications Partners Links Discussions Quiz |
» Discussion - Is back to the floor good business or just PR?
» Discussion - Is anaerobic digestion about to boom?