Not So Green Foam
Observe. Interact. Access. Refine. Repeat. That’s a lot of what goes on around here, especially when tackling (read, getting tackled by) new projects and searching for new opportunities that might stimulate growth. From the beginning, Hallie and I vowed to constantly improve our systems and services in a way that benefits the land and all of the beings that call the land home. This is a post about exactly that.
Photo by Hallie (creepin on her iphone)
A smattering of ideas around sustainable weddings and events crossed the dining room table this year from car-pooling, to super- local vendors, to true composting toilets … However, when I imagined a ‘sustainable police’ lineup of vendor suspects, I never expected that we'd point the finger at the floral industry, first.
My first run in with our main culprit, floral foam, happened when I was taking down a couples DIY floral installation at the mountain view ceremony location. It was breezy that day, and as I was untangling twine and wire from the arbor in an attempt to get to the foam, I was smacked in the face, quite literally, by just how impossible it is to use this garbage without spreading microplastics all over the land that I had vowed to protect. I had a layer of green plastic stuck to my arm hairs, in my mustache, and probably in my nose and mouth. Gross.
Photo by Miranda Photo Co, Flowers by Narrow Path
I became even more aware of the floral industries' nearly ubiquitous use of ‘that green foam’ after spending some time with Lezlee Sprenger of Narrow Path. She was hired by Jared & Isabel for a Mid-September micro wedding at Wild Sugar and was on site for a few days to turn our barn, tables, and willy-wonka mountain view arbor into pure magic.
Our many conversations led me to two realizations - 1) I need to know more about floral foam and 2) everyone should hire Lezlee. Okay, yes, there are many great florists in the Vermont area, and we do have a U-Pick flower garden for the avid DIY’er, but seriously, check her out.
So down the rabbit hole I went. First, what the heck is floral foam? Here are the nutrition facts. Floral foam is a single-use plastic in the phenol formaldehyde family. It’s made from petrochemicals, it crumbles easily and it can only “safely” be disposed of in a landfill, period. It is proven to be harmful to aquatic animals and I imagine it can't be doing anything productive for land animals that drink from our watershed and browse our fields and forests.
Yuck, right? So why is it being used? Well, it holds about 50 times its weight in water, using its honeycomb structure to secure the stems of flowers at just about any angle you’d like while slowly delivering water into the base of the stem. In short, it’s pretty good at its job, and it’s relatively cheap.
Unfortunately, those same properties make it a nightmare to dispose of! That honeycomb structure crumbles into microplastics super easily, especially with the introduction of water. Additionally, all of the flowers that make contact with the floral foam are no longer compostable, unless you want microplastics in your compost. We sure don’t!
And, please don’t be fooled by some “biodegradable floral foams,” namely the one pedaled by the manufacturer Smithers Oasis as Bio Floral Foam. Being biodegradable does not necessarily make plastic better for the environment. In perfect conditions, a biodegradable plastic will break down over a set amount of time, usually months to years. Unfortunately, particles released into the environment rarely meet these conditions and are taken up in their original form by plants and animals alike. They just get smaller faster … which is kind of worse, right? Let’s substitute biodegradable for hyperspeed-microplastics. Doesn’t quite have that sweet greenwashing smell anymore, eh?
If you aren’t convinced that floral foam is the scourge of the wedding industry, I encourage you to read more about it on the Sustainable Floristry Website. I sure learned a lot and used quite a bit of their information when putting together this post.
So, here’s what we are going to do. Starting in 2024, we will be banning the use of floral foam that is not compostable in a backyard heap. Plain and simple. If you or a florist you’d like to work with has questions or concerns regarding alternatives, we are here to help! We understand that this might be an adjustment for some folks, so we are happy to answer any questions and provide links to products that sustainable florists like Lezlee are using. You can also check out her blog post about this subject while you’re at it!
Here are some products that are proving to be great alternatives, and are welcome at Wild Sugar!
A closed pouch made from a plant-based membrane filled with coconut coir that expands when hydrated.
Made from rockwool, a mineral fiber made from 97% powdered basalt rock spun into fibers at high heat with the addition of a binding agent made from sugar. Yes, it is biodegradable, but give their literature a read and you’ll see why they made the list!
Alternatively, you can think outside the box. You don’t necessarily NEED to use a foam alternative. Dry some flowers! Get creative with chicken wire and suspended vases. Source greenery that has a long life without the need for water / moisture. The list goes on about as long as your imagination does. Looking forward to seeing your arrangements in 2024 and beyond!
Iphone photo by Hallie. Out in the field picking wild flowers with Nicole and Hans, July 2023
** Unless noted, all photos and flowers by: Miranda Photo & Co & Narrow Path
