Two Japanese Rose Growers Acquire Certification for Reducing CO2 Emissions

Two farms that grow roses, Kaji Noen in Miyagi Prefecture and Abiko Engei in Yamagata Prefecture, were certified by the Carbon Footprint (CFP) system in February 2011. The lifecycle carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of a single rose were calculated as being 910 grams at the Kaji farm and 1,170 grams at the Abiko farm, in a project done in cooperation with the regional office (MPS Japan) of an international company called MPS Floral Marketing.

Both farms introduced the use of air conditioners with heat pumps, which contributed to a large reduction in energy and pesticide use. Since they no longer rely on heaters to control humidity, they are able to grow larger roses and ship them in the rainy season, keeping in mind that the flowers are extremely vulnerable to high humidity and require dehumidification.

MPS, which stands for Milieu Programma Sierteelt, is a certification system that originated in the flower industry in Holland and in Dutch means "environment-friendly cultivation of flowers and plants." It certifies various approaches to sustainable cultivation of flowers, reduction of the environmental impacts of distribution, and better freshness, quality control, and social responsibility performance.

Japanese Ministry Starts Model Project to Show Consumers the Carbon Footprint of Agricultural Products (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/030314.html
University Cafeterias Show Food Mileage on Menus to Make CO2 Emissions Visible (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028907.html

Posted: 2011/06/14 06:00:15 AM