Energy

Energy is needed for all kinds of life whether physical, chemical or biological. Despite the fact that there is potentially enough renewable energy available, mainly non-renewable energy sources have been the main foundation for human development over the past two centuries. Reliance on these energy sources is now proving to be an irresponsible risk to the development of future generations.

Global food supply chains are heavily dependent on energy through agricultural inputs, transportation, processing and storage, packaging as well as cooking and consumption. It is obvious that our globalized and fast-growing civilization cannot be completely dependent on only low-energy fresh food consumption. Still, all stakeholders of the food supply chain should consider a responsible and careful use of energy at all levels.

The Sustainability Flower guidelines require a transparent reporting on:
- Direct and indirect energy consumption
- Energy saved due to conservation and efficiency improvements
- Initiatives to provide energy efficient or renewable energy-based products and services and reductions in energy requirements as a result of these initiatives.
- Initiatives to reduce indirect energy consumption and reductions achieved.

Organic Farming and Energy
Similar to other sectors of industry, the agricultural sector with its mechanized and industrialized approach is at present totally dependent on oil. Furthermore one should not neglect the indirect energy inputs from, for example, the manufacture and transport of fertilizers (specifically nitrogen) and pesticides.  Depending on the crop, these can account for as much as 80% of the energy input.  Since organic farming uses neither chemical fertilisers nor pesticides, it therefore comes as no surprise that organic farming uses less energy than its non organic counterpart.