Economic Analysis of Using Alternative Containers in a Greenhouse Production System

Plant production facilities are high-input systems that require large amounts of material and energy. Fortunately, the use of renewable and biodegradable inputs can reduce the amount of negative environmental impacts associated with using large quantities of water, fertilizers, chemical pesticides, plastics, and electricity. This is an area of growing interest, however sustainable practices will not be widely accepted and implemented until their benefit to the environment outweighs their cost. Recent research identifies the potential environmental benefit of replacing plastic pots with containers made from alternative materials, because the pot accounts for about 16% of the carbon footprint of a finished Petunia xhybrida plant. The objective of this study is to explore the economic cost of integrating alternative containers into greenhouse production of a petunia plant. Cost of production (COP) budgets for a petunia plant grown in alternative containers were extrapolated from the cradle-to-gate carbon footprint assessment of these containers from previous research. This study addresses the economic feasibility of incorporating such containers in greenhouse production system, which can contribute to the long-term sustainability of the horticultural industry.