Sustainability, Diversity, and Culture
Our current practices and the issues we are working to improve.
Compostable Design
We are a foam-free flower school. All the methods taught favor compostable mechanics. Twigs and natural materials are prioritized over wire and steel and we try to minimize the use of these products, encouraging students to use what is available in the natural world.
We encourage students to source their flowers from local farms and to prioritize the use of seasonal material.
Sourcing
We teach students to respect the land through foraging practices and only take what is needed. Our sourcing prioritizes materials from a local forager who is knowledgable in caring for the land through foraging and does so with respect for wildlife and pollinators. We also source from local flower farms, always prioritizing organic where possible.
The flowers for our flower kits are sourced from a regenerative farm with whom we work very closely and have a good relationship and knowledge of their practices. We have shared beliefs in caring for our planet and the soil.
During the winter season, we sometimes have to substitute flowers from other growers. These flowers are hand picked by our farmer and prioritize the use of nationally grown stems. We hope to change this in the future so that we can have a direct from farm option during the winter season.
We prioritize the use of locally sourced vases from artists or traditional techniques for retreats and in person classes. For our flower kits in the USA, we prioritize using glass which is easily recycled and re-used. When we use ceramic vases, we source from artists near our partner flower farm.
When possible, we use naturally dyed silk ribbon, produced on the flower farm we partner with. This ribbon is compostable.
We are working to improve our sourcing of clippers, cotton ribbons, and twine. We prioritize sourcing from small, individually owned companies but currently still need to bring in supplies during peak season that are imported through international corporations.
All of the packaging for our flower kits is recyclable or compostable.
We hope to incorporate carbon neutral shipping in the future.
Culture and Local Economy
The retreats we hold in Portugal are part of a larger tourism industry here in Portugal and we are trying to make these events as sustainable as possible both for the planet and for the local communities since areas of Portugal and Lisbon now suffer from over tourism.
All the teachers, instructors, and co-hosts are local to Portugal. We do not fly in teachers from other countries. It's important that our retreats center the voices and perspectives of the local population. It's important that those who benefit from the retreat business are local people and that their collaboration is centered.
All of the products and supplies we use during our retreat are sourced locally through Portuguese craftsman with the exception of the flower clippers. We are working to find a local supplier though we sometimes do use Made in Portugal clippers.
Our meals during the retreat are made by local cooks with about half of our meals being plant based.
The location for our retreat is individually owned by a family who prioritizes sustainability and giving back to rural Portuguese culture as well as promoting and educating about Portuguese tradition and culture.
Currently, we base our retreats in one location to avoid moving around too much.
We are working to improve our transportation during the retreats to make it more sustainable.
Diversity and Inclusion
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
We welcome students and teachers from all walks of life and seek to bring in voices from marginalized communities.
When teaching about traditional practices we recognize and give credit to the people and cultures who created these methods.
We support trans rights, gay rights, reparations, and freedom and basic needs for all humans.
Ethics
Though it is complex in today's world. We try our best to work with anti-war corporations and to avoid working with corporations who are directly contributing to current conflicts and violence on our planet.
Because the web of influence in this realm is not easy to untangle, we prioritize partnerships with small companies and individual artists.
We make our voices against ecocides, genocides, and violence known so that even in the case that when we take a job from a major corporation, they know our stance on these issues.
Land Acknowledgment for Flowers
The flowers for our flower kits in the US are grown by Witte Farm on original lands of The Kalapuyans who lived in the Willamette Valley for over 14,000 years. The land was managed through fire to clear vegetation, renew food plants, and deposit nutrients in the soil.
Today Witte Farm focuses on healthy soil through regenerative practices to grow organic flowers and foliage. Jory soil in the Willamette Valley originated from volcanic ash and lava flows from the Cascade Range, creating a rich, reddish clay soil with high iron content
Technology
We do not directly use AI. We may use services that have incorporated AI but we try to avoid it and do not directly engage with this tool because of the strain on energy and resources.