- $1000 flower budget
- $11
- 1st year
- 2011
- a and b creative
- aandbcreative
- about Gorgeous and Green
- advocacy
- affordable
- aguas frescas
- air plants
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- airplants
- alex schoenfeldt
- all natural
- alphabet
- altar
- Amiee Alan
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- anniversary party
- antique vase
- arch
- arrangement
- arrangements
- arranging
- arsenic
- art
- artificial flower ingredients
- artificial flowers
- artificial tree
- artist
- Asian inspired wedding
- Australia
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- avoid plastic
- back yard
- backyard
- baja
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- barn
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- Bay Area
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- beach
- becklaces
- bells of ireland
- Berkeley
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- Berkeley Gift Shop
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- berry napkins
- best berkeley florist
- bicycle
- bicycle delivery
- bike delivery
- bikes and flowers
- biodegradable
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- biodegradable ribbon
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- biodiesel
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- bird of paradise
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- bloom
- blue
- blue heron farms
- blush
- body product
- bohemian
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- book review
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- bottles
- bouquet
- bouquet pics
- bouquets
- Boutique
- boutonniere
- branches
- Brazil Room
- bridal bouquet
- bride
- bride and groom cake
- brown
- Brown skin
- budget
- business
- business decor
- business florist
- business to business
- button mums
- cabbage
- Cafe Gratitude
- cake topper
- cakes
- Cal
- calendar
- calla lilies
- callas
- cancer
- Cara Mia Photography
- Carbon black
- carbon neutral
- carbon neutral travel
- carbon offset
- carcinogen
- carcinogenic
- carmel
- carmel wedding
- casket spray
- CCA
- centerpieces
- ceremony
- certified organic
- chartreuse
- cheap silk flowers
- chemicals
- child labor
- China
- chlorine bleach
- chocolate brown
- chocolate cosmos
- citrus
- citrus centerpieces
- city car share
- City Hall
- Claire Mulkey
- class
- cleaning
- collaborations
- collecting vase
- college ave
- community
- compost floral foam
- compost flowers
- conscious
- conscious clothing
- conservatory of flowers
- coral
- cornerstone gardens
- Corporate
- cosmetic database
- cotton paper
- cotton ribbon
- crafts
- craigslist
- cream
- creme
- curly willow
- dahlia
- dahlias
- dandelionland
- day of the dead
- dean's beans
- debra prinzing
- decor
- decorating
- deer ridge vineyard
- deliveries
- delivery
- delivery service
- depression glass
- design
- designs
- destination wedding
- diapers
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- dinner parties
- discount
- DIY
- DIY invitations
- diy wedding
- dodge station pottery
- dogwood
- donated flowers
- E Mini
- earrings
- earth day
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- ebay
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- eco florist
- eco flower design
- eco flower school
- eco friendly exhibits
- eco friendly floral design
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- eco friendly site
- eco friendly wedding
- eco invitations
- eco wedding
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- eco-friendly florist
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- eco-friendly invitations
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- ecofriendly
- edible
- electric
- electric bike
- electric car
- electric Rav4
- electric scooter
- electric versus gas
- elephant dung
- elephant paper
- elmwood
- emeryville
- emeryville florist
- england
- english
- environment
- etsy
- Etta and Billie
- eucalyptus
- event
- event flowers
- event planner
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- events
- exposure
- face painting
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- fair trade cocoa
- fair wages
- fake flowers
- fake tree
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- fall flowers
- fall wedding
- favorite recycled things
- favors
- felt flower
- felted wool
- ferns
- fig
- Fish Tacos
- floating candles
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- floral design
- floral designer
- floral foam
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- floral installation
- florist
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- florists of color
- flower
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- flower boutique berkeley
- flower delivery
- flower delivery Berkeley
- flower design
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- flower lesson
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- flower school
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- flower shops
- flower workshop
- flowering kale
- flowers
- foam
- forest management
- forest wedding
- Formaldehyde
- free
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- fruit centerpiece
- fruit favor
- fruity colors
- FSC certified
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- Fugu Fugu
- full service
- fun
- funeral
- garden
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- Garden Wedding
- Gardening
- gas mileage
- genetically modified seeds
- getconscious.com
- ggboutique
- ggboutique.com
- gift
- gift delivery
- gift store
- gifts
- glass
- glass terrarium
- glass vases
- global warming
- gmo
- go vegan
- gold
- goods
- gorgeous
- gorgeous and green
- Gorgeous and Green Boutique
- Gorgeous and Green Events
- gorgeousandgreen
- grand opening
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- green artist
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- green certification
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- green event coordinator
- green event planner
- Green Festival
- green festival volunteer
- green florist
- green flower delivery
- Green Fundraiser
- Green Gala
- green glass
- green invitations
- green is not just granola
- green living
- green photographer
- green photography
- green social justice workshop
- green vehicle
- green website
- green wedding
- green wedding blog
- green wedding planner
- green wedding registry
- Green Wedding SF
- Green Wedding Venue
- green weddings
- green workshops
- green.weddings.com
- greening your wedding
- grevillea
- grey
- gulf spill
- hacienda de las flores
- half moon bay
- hand made
- hand made gifts
- handmade
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- hanging arrangement
- harmful manufacturing
- hazard
- hazardous
- hazardous waste
- head table arrangement
- health
- Hello Lucky
- hemp
- hemp dress
- hemp fashion show
- Hemp lingerie
- hemp silk wedding attire
- hemp silk wedding dress
- HeyMiemie
- hipster wedding
- hjimagery
- holly cottingham
- home care
- home grown ×
- Hostess Gift
- hot chocolate
- hot cocoa
- hotel shattuck
- how silk flowers are made
- hybrid
- hydgrangea
- ikea
- illustrations
- Image
- in the boutique
- India
- indian wedding
- inhabitat
- inhabitat.com
- interview
- interviews with green vendors
- invitations
- invite site
- invitesite
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- jar
- jewel
- jewel tones
- jewelry
- jfein designs
- jungle
- kale
- kangaroo paw
- karine brighten
- karine brighten events
- Kensington Community Center
- kid friendly wedding
- Kira Stackhouse
- Kumvana Gomani
- landfill
- lanters
- large
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- latin american flower growers
- lavender rose
- leaf ring
- Leif Hedendal
- lemons
- lichen
- licky drake
- littlevale
- livermore vineyard wedding
- Living gift
- local
- local artesans
- local baker
- local berkeley shop
- local business
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- Local Chef
- local delivery
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- local flower arrangements
- local flower delivery
- local flower shop
- local flowers
- local food
- local fruit
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- local grown
- local peony
- local vegetables
- local vineyard
- localgrown
- locally blown terrariums
- locally caught fish
- Locally grown
- locally grown flowers
- low cost
- Lucie XYZ
- Lydia's Lovin Foods
- make your own
- mandap
- manufacturing artificial flowers
- manufacturing plastic
- marin
- mauve
- Mc Near's beach
- Melbourne
- memorial flowers
- michele beckwith
- michelle beckwith
- mignonne
- milk glass
- mill valley
- mill valley outdoor art club
- mini cooper
- mini e
- miss havisham
- misuse of organic
- model
- monogram
- monsanto
- Mosey
- moss
- mountain theme
- mpg
- mr ellie pooh
- msds
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- native plants
- natural
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- necklace
- new growth
- no floral foam
- non sprayed
- nuena
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- oakland baker
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- Oakland Parks
- oakland wedding
- oakley
- oasis
- office
- oh happy day
- oil spill
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- onesey
- online
- online class
- online order
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- orange
- orchids
- order
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- organic baker
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- organic design
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- origen
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- Overlap
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- paisan
- paper
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- parrafin candles
- party
- party favor
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- pastel
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- pcw
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- peach roses
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- pesticide free
- pesticide poisoning
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- Philipino
- photography
- photoshoot
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- pillow
- pink
- plant a tree
- planted arrangement
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- plants
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- plug in hybrid
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- Quivira Winery
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- recycle vases
- recycled
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- recycled silver jewelry
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- recycled wedding dress
- recycling
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- red rose
- Redwood Grove
- redwood wedding
- repetto
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- revival bar and kitchen
- ride a bike to flower shop
- Righteously Raw
- ring
- risk
- rose
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- San Francisco Florist
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- san pablo
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- save the planet
- saving green
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- Scabiosa
- sea life
- Sean Donnelly
- seasonal
- seasonal flowers
- seasonal wedding flowers
- seating cards
- Secret Eating Society
- seeds
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- seniors
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- SF Green Festival
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- shop
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- silk flower ingredients
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- silver
- SilverGarden
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- Simple Wedding
- Skin Deep
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- slow flowers summit
- slowflowers
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- st giles
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- Stephanie's Bakery
- stern grove
- stinson beach
- stinson beach community center
- store
- strut
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- succulent bouquet
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- summer wedding
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- sustainable
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- sustainable clothing
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- sustainable florist
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- sustainable flowers
- Sustainable Food
- sustainable fundraiser
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- sustainable photographer
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- sweetpea and pie
- table
- table cards
- table design
- Table Nectar
- Tall flower arrangements
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- terrarium
- tesla
- testarossa winery
- Thailand
- thanksgiving
- the daily meal
- The Knot
- The University Club
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- Thursday February 24th
- tilden
- tilden park wedding
- tillandsia
- Tina Produce
- toxic
- toxic floral foam
- toxins
- tree arrangements
- tree planting
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- tree-free paper
- tropical
- tutorial
- uc berkeley
- UC Berkeley Garden
- UC botanical garden
- Uncategorized
- underpaid
- unfair working conditions
- unicorn flowers
- upcycled
- used wedding dress
- Va De Vie Events
- val spicer
- valentine's bouquet
- valentine's bouquets
- valentine's day
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- valentines day flowers
- vase rental
- vegan
- vegan bakery
- vegan cake
- vegetable basket
- vegetable centerpiece
- vegetable oil diesel
- vegetables
- vendors
- Vera Devera
- veriflora certified
- vintage
- vintage containers
- vintage design
- vintage gifts
- vintage hydrangea
- vintage jewelry
- vintage monogram
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- vintage vase
- vintage vases
- virbernum
- VOZ
- watering can
- watsonville farm
- website review
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- wedding bouquet
- wedding cake
- wedding coordinator
- wedding favor
- wedding favors
- wedding flowers
- wedding flowers on a budget
- wedding ideas
- wedding jewelry
- wedding necklace
- Wedding planner
- wedding topper
- Wedding Venue
- weddings
- what is sustainable design
- white
- white clutch
- white wedding
- Wilbur Hot Springs
- winged heart
- winter
- winter wedding
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- woodsy theme
- woodsy wedding
- Wooly Pockets
- workshop
- YAC
- YeeHaw
- yellow
- Yellow and White
Sustainable Floral Design: a definition
The Definition of Sustainable Floral Design or, Just Sustainable Design for that matter.
If you haven't tuned in previously, you may not know that the reason I'm in this green floral and event business to begin with is because I myself was looking to plan an event sustainably. And because there was so few resources at the time, I ended up learning a lot trying to work it out on my own. So now, almost 3 years after I started planning my first sustainable wedding, I am looking around and seeing a lot more green. But, I'm not sure it's all what it's cracked up to be. Something I've heard lately is: "green-washing". The idea that with a few elements of eco-friendly products or some organic materials, a new product or service can be called "green". Then people are tantalized by the words and regretfully miss that the product or service isn't altogether that green or sustainable. Kind of like new condos, built to look like an old warehouse or loft with some recycled iron and bamboo floors. It may look from the onset to be "green" but in reality, you may come to find out that virtually all housing developments are using recycled iron these days and the warehouse/loft look actually comes with a hefty heating and cooling bill to control all that extra air space. So, I go into green floral design knowing that if I want to call myself truly green and sustainable, I better do the best job I can or else... Or else my conscience won't be able to take it. And this leads me to the definition. What exactly is sustainable floral design anyway? Well, I couldn't find much talk about it, but I did find plenty that mentioned sustainable design and found some ideas I think fit the bill. In an interview and story by David Carlson that was highlighted on Treehugger.com, designer Satyendra Pakhalé gives some thought to it. He says "the best way to make sustainable design is to concentrate on quality, both concerning design and material. To produce better products. Mass consumption and sustainability doesn’t go very well together" and I agree. Taking a look at floral and event design through this lens shows us that when we work on a smaller scale, when artesans, designers, growers, bakers, candy makers and printers are involved at the local and small business level, then we are working more sustainably. But of course, this also means that those small businesses should also be getting their materials and services at the local level. This can be hard to do, if not impossible. What materials have solely been produced in your 50 mile radius? Yes, those flowers were grown here but where did the seeds come from? And what about the truck that delivered the flowers and what about the diesel that fired up the engine of the truck? Yes, it's difficult. But it's not always impossible. With information and education, consumers and businesses alike can learn more about where their stuff comes from and ask themselves, is it really needed? What can I find that's locally produced that will do the job? Will it cost me more in the long run to buy the well-made product, or the throw-away? And so I move toward a second point by the writer of this story highlighted on Treehugger.com and davidreport.com: David Carlson. He says: "given the growing bounty of choices available to us all, it's more important than ever to simply think about our personal interactions with our stuff and where it comes from. It's not about sustainability for the sake of calling it "green"; it's about making meaningful connections with the things that surround us, and interacting with design and products accordingly." And so, why not think of sustainable design and even sustainable floral design as the production of materials and services that are rendered with a full heart. Taking ownership in the quality of the design, knowing the people who printed the cards and hence knowing that they do their best to use biodegradable inks and recycled paper. Ordering the flowers from a local grower who can tell you how they grow their flowers and how they too hate pesticides. Avoiding cheap materials that may provide ease, such as floral foam, styrofoam, or plastic and instead going with wire, recycled paper boxes, glass or metal and knowing that spending the extra money will add quality and longevity to the product. A lesson I've learned in my own life about sustainability is that I can create my own replenishing world of food and flowers around me. So, I've started growing my own vegetables, flowers, fruits and even some greens I can use in my floral designs. It's taking time and some energy, but every time new growth shows it head or new flowers show me brilliant colors or when I get to harvest some vegetables from the earth, I remember why I do it.

March 24, 2009
by 98422949
Tags:
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what is sustainable design