Joanna Hirst

With just over 7 years as a stew in the yachting industry I am now the proud yachting figurehead of Ethereal Blooms.

We are a London based company committed to disrupting the environmentally unsustainable fresh-cut flower industry (one of the worst industries in the world per product when it comes to CO2 emissions and wastage) by creating long-life bio-preserved real flower arrangements that last the whole season.

Working on yachts is the ultimate environmental dichotomy. We are so incredibly lucky to experience the full beauty of the ocean and it’s wildlife, whilst simultaneously contributing in a large way to the increasing strain on the ecosystem we love and rely on for our careers and enviable lifestyles.

The frustrations of limited recycling options, heavy plastic use and food waste are not news to eco-minded crew, of which thankfully I know there are many.

However, what has been amazing to see recently is the awareness of flower wastage and the willingness of crews and owners to look for more sustainable floral options that are both eco-friendly and live up to the luxurious standards we strive for on board.

Bringing Ethereal Blooms to yachts has been the most rewarding experience of my yachting career and I’m so grateful to the individual crew members and crew-led businesses out there who continue to strive for a more environmentally sustainable future for yachting. Together we can make it happen.