Banned pesticides pollute European roses
The French have a tradition of giving roses on Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, but many people are unaware that the roses come from large-scale industrial production in countries like Ethiopia, where pesticides and chemicals are used extensively. These chemicals not only harm workers' health but also pollute local rivers. Additionally, the carbon footprint of the transportation of the flowers is very high. While roses are abundant in French flower shops, most of them are imported, and many come from farms that do not use environmentally friendly methods. The situation is similar in Belgium, where popular flowers like roses and chrysanthemums are found to have high levels of pesticide residues. The global flower industry is a profitable business, but it has negative environmental and health consequences for workers and consumers alike.