Green Cred

Here are some of the everyday ways we try to reduce our impact on people and the planet

• We buy used before new when we can. Our display furniture is made from reclaimed wood, is repurposed or is secondhand. Sourced and Salvaged supplies many of our display fixtures and store furniture. We are thus able to change our displays without buying or discarding any furnishings.
• Our main supplier has a container reuse program for all of the pails and trays we receive our flowers and plants in. We also offer vase and pot amnesty (bring us your old vases and pots in good condition, and we'll make sure they're put to good use). This offsets the unnecessary waste of usable containers entering the landfill.
• All of our stationary and packaging is made from 100% recycled and recyclable paper printed with vegetable inks. We print double-sided and in greyscale. Even our paper clips and file folders are 100% recycled content and are 100% recyclable. Receipts don't print automatically, we prefer to email them to you. If you need a paper receipt for your purchase in the store, just ask.
• We are Bullfrog Powered with 100% sustainable electricity. Electricity waste is reduced with efficient LED lighting, using only Energy Star certified electronics and 'ghost power' is reduced with power bars. We keep our flower cooler well maintained so it runs efficiently.
• Waste water is reduced as much as possible. Condensation from our flower cooler's refrigeration system is captured for re-use, and during the warmer months, used water from flower vases and buckets is reused to water the planters and street trees in front of our shops.
• We group deliveries by neighbourhoods for efficiency and to minimize the number of trips taken by car. This is one of the reasons we require some flexibility with delivery times on our orders. Whenever possible, we will walk or bike to deliver an order. Our next big efficiency upgrade will be to switch to an electric van for our supply transport too.
• We take full advantage of the City of Toronto's Green Bin Program and the Blue Bin Recycling Program. As most of our waste is compostable or recyclable, we've reduced our garbage output to about one large bag per shop every three or four months.
• Any paint, adhesives, etc. we use are all low/no VOC. We use old towels and rags in the shops and have laundry on site to avoid the unnecessary use of paper towels. We use only eco-friendly cleaning products, and all bathroom and facial tissues are 100% recycled.
• ecostems is Wagemark certified. We pay a living wage.
• Our web domain and email is hosted by Ethical Host.
  
• We avoid using conventional floral foam, as it is not biodegradable and studies have shown it may be carcinogenic with prolonged exposure. We use alternative materials, and are currently researching biodegradable floral foam.