Photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexels
Sustainability is a social responsibility; we should all take it seriously. The cost of daily living on our planet is enormous, and it is time that we all played our part in reversing the effects of global warming before it’s too late.
The consequence of our evolution has left the planet depleted of many things. We are using natural resources which have a limit and will run out. Demand for products is causing devastation in the rainforest, and even our need for water is creating an ecological disaster, ruining natural habitats and disturbing wildlife.
If we have learnt anything during the COVID-19 pandemic then surely it’s how quickly the planet starts to heal itself when we stop the things we do. You only have to look at the canals in Italy’s Venice and see how crystal clear they are, to realise what we do to our world daily.
There is a lot of focus on how we can reduce our carbon footprint in daily living. This tends to look at how much we drive and how we behave in our homes. However, there are lots of changes we can make to our gardens that may seem small, but will actually have a significant impact on the environment especially if every gardener across the world committed to making the changes. Many of the things you can do to become an eco gardener will actually result in better quality plants and healthier produce. You will save money too.
When we think of our gardens, we probably don’t think they are causing too much damage to the environment. There are several ways we can garden that will help nature heal itself. You will encourage the absorption of carbon dioxide by growing the right kind of plants, correctly. Mother nature has handed us all the tools we need to filter the gases that are harmful to our planet. We also use various products to maintain the garden, which isn’t good for the world. If you aren’t gardening organically, then you could be causing issues to our wildlife and increasing your carbon footprint.
Organic is a great place to start. By making a small move to this type of gardening, you can reap many benefits, including the pressure you put on the water reservoirs which will help to protect our wildlife. Switching to organic is actually very simple, and you will notice a change to your plants very quickly. Suddenly your flowers will seem to grow quicker and produce better quality blooms. If you are growing vegetables, you may notice an improved taste and texture too.
One of the easiest ways to start organic gardening is to invest in a water butt and start using rainwater to nourish your garden. If you have a large garden, you may want to dot a few of these around your land. They work well if they are fed from your drains so they can catch all the water that usually goes down the drain. Rainwater is far better for your plants than the water we get from our taps. This is because it is entirely natural and doesn’t have to go through all of the processes to make it safe for humans to drink. When the clouds absorb the water from the earth, the evaporation process acts like a filter, so any pollution that has come up from the land is filtered out before it starts to rain. This makes rainwater really pure. Some may argue that as the rain falls back down to earth, it collects pollutants before it hits the ground. However, the process of rain washes down many of the contaminants in our atmosphere, so after a few minutes, the water that hits your garden is filtered again—making it fantastic for the garden.
Many of us use a peat-based soil as peat absorbs carbon dioxide and is excellent for our shrubs or plants. However, peat wouldn’t class as a genuinely sustainable soil because it uses our natural resources and can damage or change the environment. Instead, there is a fantastic soil made from Coir. This waste product comes from the coconut fibres so it is made from nature but out of something that would usually be thrown away. This is a straightforward switch, and if you use your own compost that you make at home too, you will have a perfect combination to help your flowers thrive.
When it comes to your garden furniture or creating bed borders, you should always look to upcycle materials. Repurpose items that are no longer needed. You could use sleepers to define the edges of your vegetable plots. The longer we can reuse products that were given to us by nature, the better.
Composting is one of the most wonderful things you can do for the garden and is brilliant for reducing your personal waste. A natural compost will deliver vital nutrients across your garden and will attract the bugs that also enhance your soil conditions. You can compost from most of the waste from your house, providing it is organic. So that would include any tea bags, paper or grass cuttings and most fruit or vegetable peelings. You may choose to buy a specially designed compost bin from sites like Amazon or from your local nursery, but if you don’t have the budget, then you could create your own compost pile at home. It may take a little longer to do it this way, but once you have mulched it down over six to twelve months, you will have a constant supply. This is better for your plants and will have reduced the waste from your home.
These are just a few small changes you can make to your gardening habits that will dramatically reduce your impact on the local and global issues we are facing today. When you are planning your garden for the next season, why not start to make a few changes of your own and help make the planet a better place.