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Though it’s easy to overlook, the simple purchase of supermarket flowers is tied to several bad practices that are seriously harming our planet. So you may want to think twice before picking up a bright, fresh bouquet at the grocery store.

We likely pass them every time we go to the grocery store, and we may even have some sitting on a counter at home. Often intended to be a cheerful gift or a feel-good purchase, we probably don’t realize how much damage a plastic-wrapped flower bouquet can truly do.

Buying grocery store flowers can be incredibly harmful to the environment.

You might be thinking, “How could flowers possibly be so bad?” Well, the real problems lie with how they are grown and shipped to your local grocery store. The United States is the world’s largest consumer of cut flowers, heavily contributing to a global industry worth $36 billion every year.

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Most of the flowers sold in the U.S. are imported from Colombia and Ecuador. To get them here in the best shape possible, they have to be transported fast, meaning they often leave a significant carbon footprint from emissions. An article from the BBC shares that “For Colombian producers, with farms mostly located near Bogotá’s international airport, flowers can lose 15 percent of their value for every extra day spent traveling.”

Additionally, flowers grown with the intention of being sold consume a lot of water and may even contribute to chemical runoff. Herbicides and pesticides can pollute the water supply, potentially even contaminating drinking water. Your flowers stay beautiful, but the nearby environment is suffering.

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Local communities are also paying the price for the growing of flowers.

The current methods of flower production create dangerous conditions for floriculture workers. While many use some form of personal protective equipment, workers are constantly exposed to toxins in fertilizers, insecticides, and preservatives. They sometimes have to endure workdays of up to 16 hours, including women who may struggle to find childcare.

Surprisingly, researchers even found that children living close to the greenhouses in Ecuador (where pesticides had been applied) experienced altered short-term brain activity. They believe that the children were exposed to contaminated clothing brought home by workers in their families.

Though the labor conditions have somewhat improved in recent years, floriculture workers in these areas are still underpaid and face daily safety hazards. Despite this, Jill Timms, PhD, co-founder of the sustainable cut-flowers project at Coventry University, notes that the industry does create jobs and trade opportunities in low-income nations.

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The ‘Slow Flowers Movement’ aims to reduce the environmental impact of selling flower bouquets.

The good news is that you don’t have to stop buying flower bouquets to save the world; you just have to find more sustainable ones. Fortunately, the Slow Flowers Movement is making that easy for consumers. According to sustainable florist Holly Lukasiewicz of District 2 Floral Studio, it is “A movement to know where your flowers are grown, your farmer’s name, the ethical conditions of the workers, and types of chemicals used (if any) to grow your flower.”

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Florists who align themselves with the cause engage in practices like using flowers in their natural blooming seasons, sourcing from local farmers, working to reduce their carbon footprint, and eliminating their waste and chemical use. Supporters of the movement compare it to how chefs often incorporate sustainable, environmentally-friendly products into their menus.

Debra Prinzing, the author of the 2013 book “Slow Flowers,” wrote, “The Slow Flowers Movement recognizes that there is a disconnect that has disengaged humans from small-scale flower farming. It aspires to take back the act of flower growing and recognize it as a relevant and respected branch of agriculture in the U.S.” So the next time you go out to pick up some flowers for yourself or a loved one, consider visiting a local sustainable florist or visiting a farmer’s market. You can even grow your own for a nice homemade touch!

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Kayla Asbach is a writer currently working on her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.