The Circle of Life

A bouquet of fresh flowers can do many things; they can brighten up any room, bring joy to a special someone or can be used to celebrate a special occasion. Unfortunately the one thing they can’t do is last forever. So what should you do with a bouquet of flowers that has passed the use by date? Evolve past the simple thought of throwing them in the bin, let’s talk about putting them to good use instead. 

Although the task of disposing flowers seems like a simple one, we need to consider the environmental impact we have and our carbon footprint on this earth. Waste such as flowers in landfill produce methane whilst breaking down, contributing to the growing greenhouse gas emissions. 

This isn't to scare you away from purchasing flowers! We all know and love the good feeling flowers bring to us, whether it’s a beautiful gift or sprucing up your home decor. Here’s how you can still enjoy that good feeling whilst doing something good for the environment!

Give your beautiful pre loved flowers a new purpose in life by returning them back to nature through the composting process. 

Composting is one of the most powerful things you can do for a sustainable planet. The good thing is just how much waste can be diverted from landfill and given back to the soil from yard waste and food scraps.

Here's how to add dead flowers to your compost: 

1. Remove cut flowers from vases before they get dry, so you can add them to the heap for nitrogen. Save dry cut flowers for carbon layers. Break up the petals and cut the stems and leaves into bits before adding them to the pile.
2. Organise your compost heap in sandwich-like layers. Alternate sections of green materials with layers of brown materials, such as dried leaves or shredded paper. Water between layers, but don't drench the heap. 
3. Turn the compost about once a week to aerate it and encourage the growth of heat-loving bacteria that will help decompose the flowers and other materials.

Adding flowers to your compost is this simple!, you don’t need to be a wildlife warrior to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, by just making small changes in your everyday life you can make a huge impact. 

FACT TIME:

Waste that decomposes in landfills releases methane, a greenhouse gas that is at least 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Worldwide implementation of composting can reduce emissions by 2.3 billion tons over the next 30 years. 

Your wilted flowers can complete the circle of life once they become compost to feed the soil, which will in turn feed the next generation of flowers.