Environmentally preferable gifts for dads and grads

Photo taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
(Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Late May and early- to mid-June is the time of year to celebrate high school and college graduations as well as dads, grandpas, and father figures of all sorts as Father’s Day approaches (celebrated on June 15 in 2025). As you contemplate gifts for the dads and grads in your life, the following resources will help you make choices that are more “environmentally friendly,” in terms of reducing exposure to hazardous substances and promoting sustainable behavior. As always, please note that ISTC does not endorse, either explicitly or implicitly, any manufacturer, vendor, product, or service. Mentions of specific products or businesses below are provided for informational reference only.

Pots and pans

If the dad or grad you’re celebrating likes to cook or needs some kitchen supplies for their first apartment, you can reduce their exposure to PFAS by gifting them with stainless steel, cast iron, glass, or ceramic cookware.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS and sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they break down slowly and persist in the environment, are found in a wide variety of consumer products, including cookware treated with “non-stick” coatings. According to the U.S. EPA, these substances are found in the blood of humans and other animals worldwide and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and the environment. This is a concern since exposure may be linked to harmful health effects and there’s still a lot that we don’t know about their impact on human and environmental health, how much total PFAS people are exposed to, and how to effectively remove PFAS from the environment.

To help you evaluate options, check out Grace Kelly’s recent article for Serious Eats in which she tests several different cast iron skillets to find the best one: “To Find the Best Cast Iron Skillets, I Seared Steaks, Baked Cornbread, and Fried Eggs.” If you don’t want to dive deeply, Kelly summarizes: “The best cast iron skillet is from Lodge. It heats up fast and sears deeply, and only costs around $20. We also like the lightweight Lancaster No. 8 skillet, which is easy on the wrists and cooks food beautifully.” She also points out that cast iron cookware is tough, so in addition to using it in the kitchen, you can also use it on the grill or over a fire pit. This is another bonus if your dad or grad loves to cook out or camp out.

Photo by Ella Heineman on Unsplash

Similarly, Amanda Arnold vetted stainless steel cookware sets for a March 26, 2025 article for Forbes, highlighting her top 5 picks. Her pick for best-overall set was the All-Clad D3 Stainless 10-piece cookware set, while her pick for the best budget set was Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel 10-piece cookware set.

If you’re considering glass bakeware/storage, keep in mind that some brands like Pyrex and Anchor Hocking are now using tempered glass (heat-treated soda-lime glass) for items made in the U.S. instead of the borosilicate glass that they once used. This is important because borosilicate glass is much more resistant to large temperature shifts—like taking a made-ahead casserole out of the fridge or freezer and popping it straight into a hot oven—than tempered glass. Swift movement across these kinds of temperature extremes is sometimes referred to as “thermal shock.” So, even if you remember your grandma moving her Pyrex containers back and forth between hot and cold environments with confidence, modern dishes might shatter when exposed to thermal shock. Pyrex made with borosilicate (older items or modern items made outside the U.S.) tend to feature the brand name in all caps (PYREX) while tempered glass versions feature the name in lowercase letters (pyrex). It’s all good—just something to be aware of. For more info, see The Actual Difference Between PYREX and pyrex by Sheela Prakash (for Simply Recipes, 12/9/24) and If Pyrex Isn’t Safe Anymore, Which Brand of Glass Bakeware Should You Buy?written—appropriately—by Meghan Glass (for Allrecipes, 3/11/23), who points out that some brands like Oxo are still consistently made of borosilicate glass. (Note that the headline for Glass’s article is somewhat misleading; tempered glass is safe so long as you’re aware that it’s not as resistant to “thermal shock” as borosilicate glass.)

Ceramic cookware is becoming popular as a PFAS-free alternative to traditional non-stick cookware. To help select ceramic pots and pans, see Nicole Papantoniou’s 2/19/25 article for Good Housekeeping, “6 Best Ceramic Cookware Sets, According to Expert Testing.”

If your gift recipient relies on their microwave instead of cooking elaborate meals, it’s still important to have glass or ceramic vessels for heating foods up, because research has shown that even FDA-approved plastics release microplastics into your food when they’re heated in a microwave.

Local foods

Continuing the subject of cooking, your dad or grad might appreciate a gift that provides them with locally grown or raised foods. Everybody eats, after all! According to the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), “there is no consensus on a definition of “local” or “local food systems” in terms of the geographic distance between production and consumption. Nevertheless, local and regional foods are increasingly being recognized as an important component to efforts to create more sustainable, resilient, healthier, and equitable food systems…Findings are mixed on the impact of local food systems on local economic development and better nutrition levels among consumers, and sparse literature is so far inconclusive about whether localization reduces energy use or greenhouse gas emissions. Notwithstanding, consumer demand for locally produced food is increasing and creating jobs and opportunity throughout rural America for farms, businesses, and entrepreneurs that store, process, market and distribute food locally and regionally.” In any event, consuming food produced locally gives you the opportunity to know the farmers involved and to ask questions about their practices (e.g., whether and which pesticides are used, how livestock are treated, if they employ any conservation practices on their land, etc.). That’s not something you can do at your typical supermarket.

A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription could be a great option for dads or those grads moving into new apartments who have access to reliable transportation. CSA is a type of arrangement in which a farmer offers “shares” of their harvest to the public in the area surrounding their farm. Individuals buy those shares (sometimes called a “subscription” or “membership”) before, or at the very beginning of the growing season, helping the farmer with cash flow and giving them some guaranteed income, which is important since the size of their total harvest is impacted by the weather and other factors beyond their control. Subscribers then receive fresh local produce (or meat, eggs, or other items, depending on the farm involved) at regular intervals throughout the season. This typically involves the subscriber picking up a box, bag, or basket of items on a set schedule on the farm or some other public location. The Local Harvest website can help you find a CSA in your dad or grad’s area and elaborates on the benefits for both farmer and subscriber, as well as variations and the shared risks (e.g., if the farmer’s crop is destroyed by a natural disaster, you’re not likely to receive a refund if you don’t receive your normal boxes of goods).

University of Illinois/Photo by Fred Zwicky.

Young grads going off to college dorms may not want or need the amount of local food a CSA provides, but they can still benefit from gifts centered on local foods. Consider a gift card or membership for a local food co-op store so they can stock their mini fridge–the Local Harvest website also lets you search for co-op stores near a given location. Another idea would be to give them some money, reusable cotton or canvas shopping bags, and perhaps a bus pass, along with directions and other information for farmers markets where they’ll be living. The Local Harvest website lets you search for farmers markets in a given area, and if you grad will be in IL, check out the Illinois Farmers Market Association (ILFMA) website and use the MarketMaker map to find farmers markets and other food-focused businesses throughout the state.

Safer personal care products

You might be considering the gift of personal care products for your dad or grad—maybe a nice aftershave or fragrance, hair styling products, shaving cream, moisturizer, etc. But you may have heard news related to health impacts of various chemicals that might be present in such products and aren’t even sure you remember the names of some of the substances, let alone how to avoid them. Explore the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep database to find a variety of products that have been evaluated based on their ingredients, scientific and industry literature related to those ingredients, intended use, areas of the body to which the products are exposed, the type of exposure, target demographics, and other factors. Products are scored based on the best available information on known and suspected hazards, and the database is updated regularly to reflect advances in scientific research.

The database includes 9 product categories: makeup; nails; face & body; oral care; hair; fragrance; babies & kids; men (which overlaps with some of the other categories but includes items marketed mainly toward men, such as beard oil, shaving creams, and men’s fragrance); and sun (for products like sunscreen, sunless tanning, and even lip balms or moisturizers with SPF ratings). You look at lists for subcategories to find information on specific products, or search the database for specific ingredients, product types, or brand names. If you pull up a list on a specific type of product (e.g. shaving cream), you can click on each listed item to learn more about its score, its ingredients, and when its entry was last updated. You can also sort the list alphabetically (a to z or vice versa), by best to worst score, or by worst to best score. Product entries will also display an evaluation of the data availability on which the rating is based (e.g. limited or fair).

Screenshot of EWG Skin Deep list of shaving creams.

Enjoy your celebrations!

Learn more

Free sustainability assistance for the IL craft beverage industry

Close up of a man's arms and hands, as he stands by a brewing tank. In one hand he holds a glass with beer in it under a spigot. His other hand controls the spigot.

Stand out from the crowd. Be sustainable, be recognized.

The Beverage Resilience Program offers free help to make Illinois craft beverage businesses more sustainable and save money. Brought to you by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) and our partner the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC), this grant-funded program supports breweries, wineries, distilleries, and other craft beverage businesses across the state of Illinois.

Our team will come to your business and perform a comprehensive site assessment to identify opportunities to reduce energy and water use, waste generation, and costs as well as highlight areas where your business is already excelling in sustainability. The opportunities identified will help you to reduce costs as well, promote sustainability in your community, and differentiate yourself from your peers.

Following your assessment, you will also have the chance to assist in shaping the certification process for green beverage manufacturing in Illinois and to be recognized for your sustainability efforts through the Illinois Green Business Program.

How does it work?

  • Initial Meeting – either via email, conference call, or in person, to discuss needs and concerns
  • Opportunity Assessment – conducted on-site to uncover areas for potential change or improvement
  • Report on Findings – a document providing methods for reducing pollution and potential cost savings
  • Implementation Support – assistance for next steps, if needed
  • Project Review – document savings and benefits

What are the benefits?

  • Promotes sustainable manufacturing and growth
  • Improves profitability, productivity and competitiveness
  • Improves workplace safety through less exposure to hazardous materials
  • Reduces environmental impacts such as:
    • water use, energy and materials
    • waste volume and/or toxicity
  • Increases capacity to attract new business
  • Increases recyclability and/or diversion of by-products

How do I sign up?

Interested businesses should fill out the short form at go.illinois.edu/bev_industry.

Questions can be directed to Owen McMahan at omcmahan@illinois.edu.

Download the Beverage Resilience Program flyer.

This opportunity is made possible by a grant from US EPA Region 5.

Free webinar: Sector-based approach to stormwater pollution prevention

flyer describing webinar and presenters

Join the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) and the Green Business Engagement National Network (GBENN) on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 11 AM Central for a FREE webinar focused on best management practices for stormwater and pollution prevention.

Presenters will highlight why it’s important to protect your storm drains, and how businesses can help protect waterways. While much of this information is broadly applicable to all business types, it will be particularly useful for restaurants, auto repair/body operations, and car wash facilities.

The session will be moderated by Donna Walden of greenUP!/Nevada Business Network, and presenters will include Julianne Rhodes from Environmental Innovations/California Green Business Network and Cassie Carroll of the Illinois Green Business Association/Green Business Engagement National Network (GBENN).

To register, visit https://uni.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_e9JWnvUkR9SItm_c4CR5tw#/registration. Speaker bios are available at https://www.p2.org/event-6095107.

ISTC is a proud member of the NPPR.

ISTC is proud to be a 2025 Food Waste Prevention Week partner

Mark your calendars for Food Waste Prevention Week, scheduled to take place April 7-13 this year. 

The US EPA estimates that in 2019 alone, 66 million tons of wasted food was generated in the food retail, food service, and residential sectors, and most of this waste (about 60%) was sent to landfills. Food Waste Prevention Week (FWPW) is a collaborative effort to raise awareness about food waste and its negative impacts on our society and environment, while also sharing resources to help individuals, families, and organizations reduce their food waste. Because the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) Zero Waste team has experience working on food waste reduction and management projects, ISTC is proud to be a FWPW partner organization for the third year in a row!

Be sure to check ISTC’s social media platforms during April 7-13, for highlights of relevant projects, as well as facts and resources to help you on your food waste reduction journey. If you’re not already following us on social media, you can connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

How do I get involved?

The FWPW website provides a wealth of information to help various sectors with food waste prevention efforts, including descriptions of webinars presented by partners across the country. Here are just a few suggestions for relevant activities and webinars, arranged by sector, including links to ISTC and partner organization resources, as well as links to appropriate sections of the FWPW website for further information and inspiration. Links to specific programs or services are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Colleges & Universities

See https://www.foodwastepreventionweek.com/universities for additional ideas.

Local Governments

See https://www.foodwastepreventionweek.com/cities for additional suggestions for municipalities.

K-12 Schools

See https://www.foodwastepreventionweek.com/k-12schools for additional resources for K-12 schools.

Events, Hospitality, & Sports Teams

See https://www.foodwastepreventionweek.com/events-hospitality for more suggestions for events and hospitality. See this link for more info for sports teams.

Restaurants

 

Individuals & Families

Free sustainability assessments for small food businesses in DuPage & Kane Counties

Photo by onephoto for Adobe Stock Images, Education License – University of Illinois

Uncover cost-saving and efficiency opportunities for your food-focused business! The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) and the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC), units of the University of Illinois, are providing free technical assistance to 10 small for and/or non-profit entities, such as restaurants, grocers, and other food-focused businesses and organizations in DuPage and Kane Counties in Illinois. By getting assessed, businesses can lower operational costs, reduce wasted food & resources, and attract environmentally-conscious customers. 

Assessments will focus on helping entities reduce costs and/or reduce environmental impacts through pollution prevention, energy efficiency, water reduction, alternatives to hazardous chemicals, and waste reduction including purchasing and disposal. 

What will the process look like?

Step 1: Initial conversation. This will take the form of a brief introductory phone call to discuss the assessment process and expectations. There will also be discussion of utility data collection. (Participant time commitment: 30 minutes)

Step 2: Pre-Assessment Data Collection & Analysis. The participating business will share utility billing data as available. Providing this information helps our team quantify savings opportunities found on-site. (Participant time commitment: 30 minutes)

Step 3: Facility Walkthrough. On-site visit to discuss and tour the facility to review current conditions of the facility including infrastructure and operational processes. Identify sustainability opportunities for cost and resource savings. (Participant time commitment: 1 hour)

Step 4: Providing Recommendations & Resources. ISTC and SEDAC will use data and information from previous steps to develop strategies to reduce costs and/or reduce environmental impact. Recommendations and resources will be shared with the participating business via a written report and presentation with Q&A.  (Participant time commitment: 1 hour)

Step 5: ImplementationISTC and SEDAC will assist businesses that are interested in implementing recommended strategies. Implementation assistance includes further guidance on equipment and/or process upgrades, as well as connecting to incentive or funding opportunities. (Participant time commitment will vary.)

Step 6: Case Study (Optional).  A case study will be developed to showcase opportunities uncovered and strategies implemented. (This step is optional. If you decide to share your experiences with peers and customers, your time commitment will be approximately 1 hour to review drafts and provide feedback/approval.)

How do I sign up?

Interested businesses should fill out the short form at https://go.illinois.edu/FoodBusiness.

Participants will be selected on a rolling basis and ISTC and SEDAC will work with participants upon selection until December 2026. Questions can be directed to Zach Samaras at zsamaras@illinois.edu.

This opportunity is made possible by a grant from US EPA Region 5.

Celebrate International Day of Zero Waste on March 30 by reducing textile waste

Photo by smirart for Adobe Stock Images (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Note that ISTC does not endorse, either explicitly or implicitly, any manufacturer, vendor, product, or service. Mentions of specific products or businesses below are provided for informational reference only.

The International Day of Zero Waste, observed on March 30th annually, was established through UN General Assembly Resolution 77/161 and is jointly facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). The day highlights the importance of waste reduction, sustainable materials management, and responsible consumption and production as part of sustainable development.

This year’s theme and why it matters

This year’s theme is “Towards zero waste in fashion and textiles.” According to the non-profit organization Global Fashion Agenda, 92 million tonnes of textile waste are produced globally each year. (Note that a “tonne” or metric tonne is equal to 2,204.6 lbs., as opposed to a “ton,” a.k.a. short ton, which is equal to 2000 lbs.) In 2018, the U.S. EPA found that nearly 17 million tons of textile waste were generated nationwide, with 11.3 million of those tons going to landfills (3.2 million tons were combusted).  According to the Illinois Materials Management Advisory Committee Report to the General Assembly (2021), 279,188 tons of clothing were disposed of in Illinois landfills in 2018, along with 235,523 tons of “other textiles.” In its 2017 report A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation stated that between 2000 and 2015, global clothing production doubled while the duration of garment use decreased by 36 percent. So-called “fast fashion,” defined by Merriam-Webster as “an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers,” tends to involve production of less durable items that wear out quickly, contributing to this trend of high production rates and shorter periods of use.

In a previous ISTC blog post (dated 6/26/24), we pointed out the connection between textile waste, particularly clothing waste, and plastic pollution, given that 60% of material made into clothing into clothing is plastic, including polyester, acrylic, and nylon textiles. The UNEP report Catalysing Science-based Policy Action on Sustainable Consumption and Production: The Value-chain Approach & its Application to Food, Construction and Textiles (2021) indicates the fashion and textile sector account for 9 percent of microplastic pollution reaching the oceans annually.

Further, it is estimated that over 15,000 chemicals are used in textile manufacturing processes, some of which are toxic or prone to persistence in the environment (Roos, et al, 2019). Textile manufacturing also uses lots of water and is responsible for massive greenhouse gas emissions. Given the variety of textiles produced, and with some being natural and others synthetic, it’s hard to characterize the total amount of water used for, and emissions resulting from, all textile production worldwide. Considering a cotton t-shirt as an example, a frequently cited article from the Spring 2014 edition of World Wildlife Magazine claims it takes 713 gallons (2700 liters) of water to produce one cotton t-shirt. Mayer and Birkocak (2024) estimate the textile and apparel industry accounts for approximately 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Suffice it to say, due to the massive amounts of resources involved in the production of textiles, the potential for pollution from the manufacture and use of textiles, and the amount of textile waste filling dwindling landfill space, anything we can do to reduce waste associated with textiles is important.

Ideas for positive action

While the potential negative impacts associated with textiles seem daunting, there are several things that individuals can do to prevent textile waste and manage them more responsibly at their end-of-life. Here are a few suggestions to consider.

  • Resist “fast fashion” by reducing the amount of clothing you buy. Avoid trends and purchase more “timeless” styles that will serve you for years to come. Look for individual pieces (shirts, pants, accessories, etc.) that can be paired with multiple other items in your wardrobe to create more outfits with fewer items. If you want some guidance, check out How to Create Different Outfits with Fewer Items (& Sustainably) from Project CeCe and How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe: Wear Fewer Pieces, Create More Outfits from Closet Cachete. How to Create More Outfit Choices With Fewer Clothes includes examples using men’s fashions.
  • Invest in more durable items. The upfront cost may be higher, but reducing the need to replace worn out items can make that worthwhile in the long run. Check out Good on You’s guide to choosing clothes that last.
  • When possible, buy secondhand clothing from thrift stores, consignment shops, or similar outlets. You might get lucky and find some deeply discounted, high-quality items that wound up at a thrift store precisely because they were made to last! In any event, keeping wearable clothing in use longer conserves the resources invested in their creation. If you have items that are still wearable but no longer wanted, consider donating or consigning them at relevant local charities or shops.
  • Participate in, or host, a clothing swap, in which friends or community members come together to exchange items that are still in good shape but no longer wanted by the original owner. Check out the Wikipedia article on clothing swaps for more information on this phenomenon. For advice on planning your own, see 4 Tips For Throwing A Successful Clothing Swap from Southern Living and How To Host A Clothing Swap Party: Step-By-Step Guide from Almost Zero Waste.
  • Repairing your clothing and textiles, rather than replacing them when seams rip or holes begin, is another strategy to conserve natural and financial resources. If you’re not handy with needle and thread, connect with friends or family who are, or support the local economy by taking items to an alteration shop or shoe repair service in your area. You can also do an Internet search for a local Repair Café, Fixit Clinic, or similar gathering where others might help you fix your items. You might also look for no-sew options using iron-on patches, fabric glue, or shoe glue (Shoe Goo is a popular brand of the latter, available in many hardware or “big box” stores; though typically used to repair soles that are separating from uppers, the Shoe Goo website notes that it can also be used for other repairs, such as fixing holes in backpacks). Marissa Elena’s Simple Ways To Mend Your Clothing Without A Sewing Machine is a good resource with embedded videos for illustration.
  • Wash your clothing less frequently and use cold water when you do. Unless you’ve sweat profusely or been doing a particularly dirty job, your outer garments might be able to be aired out and worn at least one additional time before getting tossed in the laundry basket. Washing less often will reduce wear and tear on your clothing and reduce your chores as a bonus. Check out Real Simple’s guide on how frequently to wash various types of clothing. And Don’t Bother Using Hot Water to Wash Your Laundry from Consumer Reports should set your mind at ease about the efficacy of cold water, which means less energy used during washing.
  • Reuse your textiles for crafts or cleaning rags. Some people enjoy making quilts or rag rugs from fabrics reclaimed from old clothes, or even tote bags or hot pads. See 9 Ways to Make a Rag Rug you’ll Want to Try! for some inspiration. If you’re not crafty, consider repurposing your castoffs into cleaning rags you can launder after use—an option that will also help you reduce your use of disposable items like paper towels. Some textiles are of appropriate size to use as rags as-is (e.g., an old washcloth or cloth diaper), but if you want to cut old shirts or pants down to size, use pinking shears to reduce fraying.
  • Recycle textiles that are not suitable for donation that can’t be repurposed in your own home. Check city, county, or local non-profit websites for “where to recycle it” guides, or do an Internet search to find recycling options near you. If you’re not sure which agency to contact in your area, reach out to the Illinois Recycling Foundation for guidance. Textiles collected for recycling might be turned into industrial rags, insulation or other construction materials, or carpet padding, among other items. Like more traditional recyclables, textiles should be seen as resources that don’t belong in landfills.

If you’re already doing some of the things suggested above, great! If it’s all new to you, don’t try to tackle everything at once. Choose one or two suggestions that fit well with your situation and circumstances and try them out. Talk to friends and family about your successes, and any challenges you encounter. They might help you overcome barriers and you just might inspire them to fight waste too! Don’t focus on trying to be perfect–you’re human, after all. If you try too many new things at once, or get too wrapped up in doing the exact “right thing,” you may become overwhelmed and either never start your new habit, or start and quickly give up. Every small step you take to reduce waste matters. If you’ve read through this whole post, congratulations–you’ve taken the first step toward sustainable behavior by being open to new practices!

More ways to get involved in waste reduction

Visit the UNEP website and click on “Events” to find Zero Waste Day events near you, or to add your own event to their map!

If you represent an organization or business interested in reducing all types of solid waste (beyond textiles) and managing materials more responsibly, learn more about the services of the ISTC Zero Waste team and contact them at istc-zerowaste@illinois.edu.

Better bouquets: Sustainable purchasing and end-of-life management for floral arrangements

UI Public Affairs: L. Brian Stauffer. © Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, purchases of flowers increase. Whether for a holiday gift, special occasion, or other celebration, most of us will buy bouquets or flower arrangements at some point. But have you considered sustainable options or the best way to manage bouquets after they fade?

Note that links to products, programs, or vendors below are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Why it matters

When you think about the economic impacts of agriculture, you’re likely to consider crops used to feed humans or other animals. But floriculture is also “big business.” The USDA defines floriculture as “that branch of horticulture dealing with the production of field-grown or greenhouse-grown plants for their flowers or showy leaves.” According to the US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS), in 2023 (the year with the most recently published data), floriculture sales in IL totaled $134,063,000. For the same year, the Society of American Florists, reports total spending nationwide on floral products (flowers, seeds, and potted plants) was $72.8 billion.

While the USDA NASS estimates there are approximately 263 commercial floriculture operations, throughout IL alone, most of the flowers purchased in the US are imported from other countries. Utah State University Extension notes that “As many as 80% of all cut flowers sold in the U.S. are imported, with the majority coming from Columbia, Ecuador, Holland, and African countries such as Kenya that have the climate for the year-round cut flower cultivation (Cain, 2022; Knoch, 2022; Li et al., 2016; Tegethoff, 2023).” (See Utah State University Extension site for full citations.)

Source: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/charts-of-note/chart-detail?chartId=106472

Clearly, buying and selling flowers has a huge impact on carbon emissions just from the perspective of product distribution. Imported blooms are flown thousands of miles and once they reach US soil, they might still end up being trucked for many more miles before reaching a retail location. Beyond the fuel used for transportation, refrigeration is often required along the way to keep blooms fresh.

Like any other agricultural operation, floriculture involves the use of a lot of resources (e.g. land, water, labor, etc.) and the application of a variety of chemicals that may have negative impacts on human and environmental health. A recent review of pesticides in flower production identified 201 different compounds used, 93 of which are banned by the European Union (Pereira et al., 2021).

So, although we tend to focus on aesthetics when picking the flowers we buy, attending to any available information on the source and production practices matters greatly if we care about environmental sustainability. It’s also worth considering the impacts of any packaging involved, which might be destined for the landfill if it can’t be reused, recycled, or composted. Because of the resource use embodied in them, it pays to consider keeping ornamental flowers and plants vibrant and in use for as long as possible, and when they are genuinely wilted and no longer lovely, we should try to keep them out of landfills if possible through composting. When plant material and wasted food (collectively called “organics”) break down in landfills without oxygen present (i.e., in anaerobic conditions), methane, a greenhouse gas is produced. The US EPA reports that municipal solid waste landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the US, accounting for approximately 14% of methane emissions in 2022.

Better options

So how can you reduce the negative impacts of the flowers you buy?

Buy locally grown flowers whenever possible. If purchasing at a florist, grocery store, or large retail outlet, look for posted information on the source of the product or ask staff for more information. Depending on your location, time of year, and the intended use for your flowers, you may be able to get what you need from a farmer’s market or directly from a farm. This gives you the opportunity to meet the grower and ask questions about their operation. Buying local also supports the local economy and populations of pollinators, depending on the amount of shelter used in production (i.e. open fields, greenhouses, etc.). And of course, you’ll greatly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions involved in distribution. According to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG), local flowers also tend to be of a wider variety, will last longer because they’ve traveled a shorter distance to you, and may smell better, because they are less likely to have been bred for uniformity, a practice that may compromise natural fragrance. If you don’t already have a farmer’s market or other favorite source for local flowers, the following resources will help you find them:

  • ASCFG Find Local Flowers and Growers Map: https://localflowers.org/find-flowers/. Enter your location and choose a radius in miles for your search.
  • IL Specialty Growers Association Live Local Shop Local Map: https://www.specialtygrowers.org/shoplocal.html. There are a few different ways to search. Either select “Floriculture” from the “Products” drop-down menu OR “Cut Flowers” from the “Product Attribute” drop-down menu OR type “flowers” or “cut flowers” into the search bar.

If you can’t find locally grown, look for sustainably grown options. This might mean using an online service that sources sustainably grown flowers or looking for certified products in shops. Links related to certification programs below will allow you to dive into the details of the program standards if you wish.

  • ReVased: https://www.revased.com/. This company began in 2019 with a focus on “upcycling” flowers from events (more on that below), selling a portion and donating a portion of these reclaimed arrangements. When the COVID-19 pandemic caused events to temporarily be put on hold, they shifted gears and now primarily offer online orders of sustainably grown flowers and plants. From their website: ‘We are proud to source our flowers from high-quality, sustainable-minded farms in both the U.S. and South America. The flower farms we work with have achieved Rainforest Alliance Certification, Fairtrade Certification, or take other steps for environmental, economic, and social sustainability. This includes protecting forests and natural wildlife habitats; promoting farmers’ human rights and safe, decent working conditions; conserving water and soil; and helping to lessen the burden of the climate crisis. We are lucky to work with amazing farm partners who meet these rigorous standards of excellence! We also ship “farm-direct.” This eco-friendly shipping method reduces carbon emissions by bypassing many stops in the traditional floral supply chain and reducing the total number of stems being cut, as every cut stem is meant for a customer! Additionally, we offset emissions from our shipments to neutralize our shipping footprint and make our shipments carbon neutral.’
  • Rainforest Alliance Certification: https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/insights/rainforest-alliance-certified-ferns-flowers/. The Rainforest Alliance certifies products that comply with their agricultural standard which “protects ecosystems and wildlife habitats, conserves water and soil, promotes decent and safe working conditions, and ensures that farms are good neighbors to rural communities and wildlands.” According to the Alliance’s website, Costco stores in IL sell their certified flowers, plants, coffee, and tea.
  • Fair Trade Certification: https://www.fairtradecertified.org/what-we-do/what-we-certify/floral/. Fair Trade certified products comply with standards to safeguard working environments and conditions, living wages and benefits, and to eliminate poverty and forced labor. Check the packaging on products or signage at your florist or other retailer for an emblem from Fair Trade USA or Fair Trade International. According to the Fair Trade USA website, you can find certified flowers at Sam’s Club and Whole Foods.
  • Veriflora Sustainably Grown: https://www.scsglobalservices.com/services/veriflora-certified-sustainably-grown. “This third-party certification assures buyers and consumers that cut flowers and potted plants have been produced in an environmentally and socially responsible way, with practices that achieve the highest level of product quality.” This is part of the SCS Global Services suite of third-party certifications, so look for an emblem with the SCS green hummingbird logo and the words “Sustainably Grown Certified.” Veriflora products are available through various florists and supermarkets, so check with your local shops.
  • Organic:  While it is possible to find flowers with USDA Organic certification, this tends to be used for edible flowers or those used for tea. Many growers will follow organic principles without going through the formal certification process, which is why buying local is great if feasible, because it allows you ask questions and learn more about the production process.
  • The Bouqs Co.: https://bouqs.com/about-us/our-difference. This online retailer sources directly from farms that use sustainable practices.

Once you’ve got your flowers in hand, check out these tips from McGill University: How to Keep Cut Flowers Looking Fresh, With Science.

Reuse and other diversion options

If you’ve bought flowers for an event, when your festivities are done, there’s no reason to send those blooms to the landfill. Explore donation of arrangements that still look lovely, and composting when those flowers have truly faded.

  • ReVased: https://www.revased.com/pages/non-profit-floral-directory. As noted above, this company started out by rescuing flowers from events to rehome them. Since the pandemic their focus is more on online sales, but they have started directory of non-profit organization that can accept donated flowers. Currently, all the IL entries are in the greater Chicago area/northern IL. You can also reach out to them at hi@revased.com for assistance in finding organizations to accept floral donation, but bear in mind their capacity for this is currently limited.
  • Repeat Roses: https://repeatroses.com/. This company works nationwide and will be hands-on, collecting flowers after an event and delivering them to organizations to which they’re being donated. Where commercial composting facilities exist, they can also pick up donated flowers once they’re truly withered and deliver them to the composting facility. According to their website, “Some locations will offer only limited composting sites within reasonable driving distances. For those locations, we will explore alternatives to ensure we divert flowers from landfills.” In order to have this level of service, you’ll need to plan far in advance. “Four to six months is ideal to secure your date to ensure you are on our pickup schedule. The earlier you decide to reserve your date on the calendar, the more time we have to coordinate with your florist and venue. Often, it is easier for your florist to know of your plans to donate your flowers in advance so they can design your arrangements with this information in mind as it relates to vase/container rentals and arrangement structure. Additional fees may apply to events booked with limited notice.”
  • Reach out directly to local organizations that may accept donated flowers. If you are planning an event that includes flowers, reach out in advance to local women’s shelters, nursing homes, hospitals, senior services, or cancer support non-profits to see if they could reuse your blooms and work with them, friends, or family on transportation of donations.
  • Compost. Check the Illinois Food Scrap and Composting Coalition (IFSCC) website list of commercial compost haulers and processors or for tips on composting at home if you’ve got the space and the interest and you’re dealing with a bouquet or two rather than lots of flowers from an event.
  • Preserve your blooms. If your flowers have sentimental value, consider preserving them. Check out HGTV’s guidance on various methods for drying, pressing, or using resin to create keepsakes.

Free sustainability training for manufacturers in St. Louis area

The Missouri Association of Manufacturers, in partnership with the Missouri State University Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute (OEWRI), is offering free sustainability training for Missouri manufacturers on February 19, 2025, from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis.

Thanks to an ongoing collaboration between ISTC’s technical assistance providers and Missouri State University, the workshop has been opened up for IL manufacturers located in the St. Louis area. (Note that manufacturers from throughout MO are eligible.)

Participants will receive guidance on the development of a sustainability program, including overviews of various program models such as Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and more. The session is limited to 20 companies, all of which will receive a complimentary sustainability site assessment for their facilities. Participation is open to manufacturers in all industrial sectors.

Interested manufacturers should visit the Missouri Association of Manufacturers website to register, or contact Andrew LeGrand, 417-863-7262, to confirm eligibility or for other questions.

If you represent an Illinois manufacturer interested in integrating sustainability into your operations but are unable to reserve a spot in this workshop, please reach out to Owen McMahan, 217-333-3684, to learn more about free, grant-funded assessment opportunities available through ISTC.

Public comments sought on food date labeling

Two women look at labels on beverages in front of a cooler.
Photo by Stephen Ausmus. Image Number D1830-30, USDA Agricultural Research Service.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA)  Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are seeking public input on food date labeling. This Request for Information seeks information on industry practices and preferences for date labeling, research results on consumer perceptions of date labeling, and any impact date labeling may have on food waste.

From the Federal Register:

On June 12, 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration released the final National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics (the National Strategy). The National Strategy lays out a path for the U.S. to meet its national goal of reducing food loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that in 2019, 66 million tons of wasted food was generated in the food retail, food service, and residential sectors, and most of this waste (about 60 percent) was sent to landfills. An additional 40 million tons of wasted food was generated in the food and beverage manufacturing and processing sectors. Wasted food is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills. Wasted wholesome and safe food represents nourishment that could have helped feed families in need. Additionally, water, energy, arable land, and labor used to produce wasted food could have been used for other purposes. Effectively reducing food waste will require cooperation among federal, state, tribal, territory, and local governments, food manufacturers, agriculture producers, faith-based institutions, environmental organizations, communities, and others, all along the entire supply chain.

In response to the draft National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics, FSIS and FDA received comments encouraging an update of the Federal date labeling requirements, including standardizing date labeling. Commenters noted that food manufacturers use a variety of phrases such as “Sell By,” “Use By,” and “Best By” on product labels to describe dates on a voluntary basis. According to commenters, the use of different phrases to describe dates may cause consumer confusion and lead to the premature disposal of wholesome and safe food, because it is past the date printed on the package.

As explained in the final National Strategy, both FSIS and FDA recommend that food industry members voluntarily apply the “Best if Used By” food date label, which notes the date after which quality may decline but the product may still be consumed. The “Best if Used By” label aims to lessen consumer confusion and reduce wasted food. In addition, the “Best if Used By” label was the most frequently perceived by consumers as communicating quality, among the food date labels assessed by researchers at Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF), which supports standardizing this label. Although FSIS and FDA encourage the use of the phrase “Best if Used By”, current federal regulations do not prohibit industry from using other date labeling phrases, such as “Sell By” or “Use By,” if they are truthful and not misleading. It should be noted that industry groups have taken steps to address consumer confusion. However, the number, diversity, and complexity of food products in the marketplace along with significant variability in the environmental, storage, and distribution conditions of food create challenges for standardization of food safety or quality date labels.

FSIS and FDA are requesting additional information on industry practices and barriers for standardizing food date labeling, research results on consumer perceptions of food date labeling, and any impact date labeling may have on food loss and waste. The information may be used to inform future policy decisions, guidance, or consumer education campaigns on food date labels intended to help reduce the premature discard of wholesome and safe food. Commenters should provide any data, studies, or other evidence that supports their response.”

See 89 FR 96205 for full details, including questions for commenters. Comments must be submitted by February 3, 2025.

Submit comments by one of the following methods:

  • Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website allows commenters to type short comments directly into the comment field on the web page or to attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions at that site for submitting comments.
  • Mail: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
  • Hand- or Courier-Delivered Submittals: Deliver to 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Jamie L. Whitten Building, Room 350-E, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

Learn more and read the National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics.

Holiday gifts to foster climate action

Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Whichever winter holiday(s) you observe, you’re likely considering showing your appreciation for loved ones through gifts as part of your celebration. It’s worth noting that consumerism has real consequences for climate change, as outlined by Renée Cho on the Columbia Climate School’s blog, State of the Planet. Last holiday season, we outlined holiday gifts with sustainability in mind, including some ideas that didn’t involve consumption, such as giving experiences and donations to charity. This year, we’ll highlight gift options that, despite involving consumption, may help the recipients reduce emissions of greenhouse gases or otherwise foster climate action. Please note that links and companies mentioned in this post are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois.

Food waste reduction

US EPA infographic on the climate impacts of food waste.  It states up to 40% of food is wasted in the US and lists emissions impacts throughout the lifecycle of food.
US EPA infographic on the climate impacts of food waste.

The US EPA estimates that up to 40% of food is wasted nationally, and greenhouse gas emissions occur throughout the food production, distribution, and disposal process. Thus, wasting food contributes to climate change, and each year the emissions caused by wasted food are greater than the emissions from all domestic flights in the US plus all international flights run by US airlines. Here are just a few gift ideas that might help the recipient waste less food:

  • Check out The Original Green Pan’s guide to 10 Sustainable Cookbooks to Help You Reduce Food Waste for ideas for using up items that may often be disposed of as scraps. The foodie in your life might appreciate one of these volumes.
  • Make sure your recipient has the URL for Save the Food’s Interactive Storage Guide (https://savethefood.com/storage) with tips for proper storage of various foods, and consider adding a set of clear glass storage containers. Being able to see the food stored in your refrigerator provides a visual prompt to use it up, hopefully avoiding the cliché of an unrecognizable moldy mess in an opaque container at the back of the fridge.
  • A marker and some label tape can help your recipient keep track of when they stored various items, so they’re more likely to eat older items first before spoilage. You could even print off the US EPA’s “Eat First” sign and suggest they keep a bin in their fridge for produce and containers that need to be used up first.

Composting

US EPA infographic showing the benefits of composting and how it impacts climate change.
US EPA infographic explaining how composting decreases GHG emissions, sequesters carbon, and improves soil health and resilience.

For unavoidable food scraps, such as eggshells, bones, peels, etc., it’s still better for the climate if you can compost instead of sending those to a landfill. Here are a few suggestions for helping your loved one compost their food scraps:

  • Check out the Illinois Food Scrap and Composting Coalition (IFSCC) list of residential food scrap haulers and food scrap drop-off locations. If your recipient lives in a part of the state where commercial food scrap composting is available, consider a gift card or paying for a trial month or two for a pickup service or providing information on drop-off bins and an offer to help them transport their scraps to the drop-off location. Giving the gift of trying out composting services might help your loved one form a positive habit.
  • If they don’t live in an area where composting services are available, or if they’re more of a DIY-type, check out IFSCC’s resources on composting at home through a backyard bin, worm bin (vermicomposting), or bokashi (using micro-oganisms in an airtight container). The Strategist’s list of The Very Best Compost Bins provides suggestions for countertop food scrap collection (before transporting to an outdoor bin), as well as gear for worm composting or bokashi. This Green Lunchroom Challenge post on home composting includes links to YouTube videos with tips for simple home composting, even if your recipient is an apartment dweller.

Energy efficiency

Gifts that help your recipient save energy can reduce their use of fossil fuels and avoid greenhouse gas emissions. Here are just a few ideas:

Raising awareness and hope

While most people have heard about climate change, not everyone may feel knowledgeable about it or feel they have enough of a handle on how they can make a difference. These items can help your recipient learn more and feel empowered:

  • Daybreak board game. A potential option for a family gift, this is a “cooperative boardgame about stopping climate change. It presents a hopeful vision of the near future, where you get to build the mind-blowing technologies and resilient societies we need to save the planet.” The game is for 1-4 players, ages 10+, and takes 60-90 minutes to play.”
  • Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World by Katherine Hayhoe is a book that helps readers learn how to talk about climate change with anyone, even those who may hold very different worldviews from them. Dr. Hayhoe suggests that talking about climate change and making human connections, without focusing on changing minds, is an effective way to inspire action.

Additional resources