Fresh flowers contribute a huge amount of organic wastage per year, the cut-stalks and the wilted remnants are often thrown away. Comparatively, preserved flowers can last between 1 to 3 years (If kept in an optimal environmental) resulting in a reduction in organic wastage. For example, a fresh floral arrangement would need to be replaced 52 times per year compared to the preserved flowers.

The fresh flower industry gets away with a huge amount of chemical pollution each year, as flowers are not listed under edible food items, they are exempt from agricultural regulations on pesticides. This results in many fresh flower farms utilising stronger pesticides that are more effective, but also contribute a lot more to the erosion of the ozone layer and climate change. These pesticides secrete into the groundwater, rivers and the surrounding environment, resulting in environmental degradation to the native flora and fauna, polluting the rivers and killing the animals.

Fresh flowers need to be transported under the optimal conditions to ensure freshness; thus, a lot of resources are utilised to maintain the perfect temperature and humidity. This is coupled with the transportation needed to send the flowers all over the world from South America and Africa (Where the flowers are usually grown). The increased energy usage due to the maintenance of optimal conditions and the long-haul transport result in high amounts of carbon emissions. The release of Co2 into the atmosphere, hinders sustainability and contributes to climate change.