ANCHOR LEAD IN:
MOTHER'S DAY IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER… AND CHANCES ARE YOU'LL BE HEADED TO THE FLORIST OR ORDERING BOUQUETS ONLINE FOR YOUR DEAR OLD MOM. BUT THIS YEAR, GIVING FLOWERS CAN DO MORE THAN MAKE MOM SMILE… IT CAN BE AN EARTH FRIENDLY MOVE TOO. ____ EXPLAINS.

TRACK ONE Length: 04
FLOWERS ARE MIKE POPALARDO'S "GO TO" GIFT… BUT THAT WASN'T ALWAYS THE CASE.

SOT
KEY @ : 07 Mike Popalardo, Buys Certified Flowers
"It was more of a last resort kind of a purchase because I didn't feel particularly good about making that purchase."

TRACK TWO Length: 07
WHY? BECAUSE MIKE'S GONE GREEN AND SAYS UNTIL NOW… THERE WAS NO WAY TO TELL IF FLOWERS WERE GROWN ON ECO-FRIENDLY FARMS.

SOT
KEY @ : 22 Mike Popalardo, Buys Certified Flowers
"There's a lot of products out there claiming to be natural or organic or better for the environment and I'm always suspect as to whether or not that's true."

TRACK THREE Length: 08
BUT HE'S NOT SUSPECT ANYMORE… THANKS TO VERIFLORA…A NEW CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR SUSTAINABLY GROWN FLOWERS AND POTTED PLANTS.

SOT
KEY @ : 39 Alexander Winslow, Scientific Certification Systems
"These flowers have been produced in the most environmentally and socially responsible manner."

TRACK FOUR Length: 15
SO WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN? ALEXANDER WINSLOW IS WITH THE COMPANY THAT DEVELOPED THE CRITERIA. TO GET CERTIFIED, GROWERS HAVE TO ABIDE BY RULES REGULATING PESTICIDE USAGE, WORKER BENEFITS AND WAGES, WATER CONSERVATION, ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION, AND WASTE REDUCTION…

SOT
NO KEY
"We conduct an exhaustive in depth audit."

TRACK FIVE Length: 12
YOU CAN BUY VERIFLORA FLOWERS ONLINE…THEY'RE ALSO IN MANY GROCERY STORES AND AT FLORISTS… JUST ASK OR LOOK FOR THE LABEL. AS FOR MIKE, HE'S JUST THRILLED TO KNOW THE FLOWERS HE'S BUYING ARE IN LINE WITH HIS LIFESTYLE.

SOT
NO KEY
"I don't have to run around trying to figure out 'are these sustainable flowers?' That certification actually simplifies my decision."

ANCHOR TAG:
WHILE VERIFLORA COVERS A HOST OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ISSUES, THEIR FLOWERS ARE NOT ORGANIC. WINSLOW SAYS THEY WILL BE IN THE FUTURE, BUT FOR NOW, THE ORGANIC STANDARD IS THE HIGHEST WHEN IT COMES TO PEST MANAGEMENT AND SOIL FERTILITY.
VERIFLORA ISN'T JUST FOR FLOWER GROWERS IN THE U-S. SEVERAL FARMS IN SOUTH AMERICA THAT SUPPLY FLOWERS TO THE UNITED STATES ARE ALSO CERTIFIED.

SOURCE LIST
This information may be posted on your website at the bottom of the
NewsProNet script if your station has an extended license that includes your Web property.

Alexander Winslow
Scientific Certification Systems

Alexander Winslow is the Communications Director with Scientific Certification Systems, the company that developed the criteria for the Veriflora program. Find out more about Veriflora at:

http://www.veriflora.com

Buy Veriflora certified flowers at:

http://www.organicbouquet.com

ADDITIONAL SOURCE INFORMATION
FOR CLIENT-STATION USE ONLY
The additional information provided below is for client-station use only.
This private contact information cannot be given to viewers nor posted on your Website. It is for internal station use only. It is provided
to help you obtain answers to any additional questions you may have and to help you localize a story. Thank you.

Alexander Winslow
Scientific Certification Systems
2200 Powell Street, Suite 725
Emeryville, CA 94608
510-452-8003

Winslow says SCS is a third party provider of certification, audition, and testing services and standards. They develop standards, like Veriflora, for industries such as food and agriculture, manufacturing, forestry, fisheries, and electricity.