NASHUA — Fortin Gage Flowers recently announced that it has collected 1,200 gently-used vases in an effort to reduce environmental waste.

“We believe flowers should do more than brighten a room, they should help build a better world,” said Fortin Gage owner Amber Morgan, adding that she plans to keep the vase drive going year-round. “This vase drive shows how small, everyday choices, like reusing instead of discarding, can have a ripple effect that benefits both people and the planet. We have the best community. They are always ready to help.”

By taking in used vases, the floral shop at 86 West Pearl St., has helped keep approximately 2,250 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Morgan said that figure is the same as “driving 2,500 fewer miles in a car and the amount of carbon absorbed by 17 mature trees in one year.”

The vase drive also reduces the amount of glass in landfills. According to the state Department of Environmental Services, it can take hundreds of thousands of years for glass to decompose.

Morgan also said that for every vase donated, Fortin Gage donates $1 to a local nonprofit organization. September’s donations will go to Meals on Wheels, which provides meals for seniors who are unable to leave their homes. Prior recipients have included the Nashua Senior Activity Center and the Nashua Public Library.

The vase drive also helps the business itself as there is currently a 10 percent tariff on vases, planters and other hard goods that are imported from China.

In addition to the vase drive, Fortin Gage launched its Flowers for Good initiative in January. Each month, the shop partners with a nonprofit organization to design a floral arrangement that is unique to that organization. Proceeds from the sales of those arrangements then go to benefit that nonprofit.