Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine's Day and Roses from Africa

Many of the roses given in Europe today will come from Kenya. Here's an article about that and here's another. And Africa Expat Wife weighs in on the issue.
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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, has it been almost 2 months since the elections?

My first argument for buying local would be to support neighbors and local economy, not to reduce carbon footprints. But this year I'd surely buy a Kenyan bouquet if at all possible!

Then again, if I have to buy roses for myself to commemorate the day I got engaged.. maybe I should consider a more funereal flower! :-)

Happy Valentine's Day, Ruth!

5:46 AM
Ruth said...

Almost - the elections were on the 27th of December.

I have mixed feelings about not buying produce from developing nations. For some of these countries, these exports are extremely important to their economies. It's like buying clothes made abroad - yes, the person who made it probably made a low wage, but at least s/he has a job.

10:47 AM
Ruth said...

Oh, Happy Valentine's Day to you, too. What is a funereal flower - chrysanthemums? I think you should buy yourself exactly what you want to, and congratulations on being married so long. :-) (Ten years? Could that be right?)

10:48 AM
Anonymous said...

I always think of gladiolas as funereal flowers. (Too bad, because they're so pretty.)But I'd better not have to buy my own Valentine's flowers!

Yes, 10. Uggh. I'm old.

I hear you about the mixed feelings. From my admittedly simplistic perspective, it looks like the momentum is going toward the global economy, away from the local one, despite a few eloquent voices in favor of being a "locavore," etc. So in a way those developing countries are where the future is, in terms of there being a demand for what's produced there. The downside is, as you say, poor pay/working conditions.

11:07 AM
Ruth said...

If that is the sign of old age, I must be REALLY old - but then, I was a child bride. ;-)

11:14 AM

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