Peat Alternatives Best For Our Planet

How can we take the equivalent of 100,000 cars off our roads, without taking 100,000 cars of our roads? The answer may be surprising, because it concerns something which most of us take for granted, yet know little about.

Studies have shown that the amount of peat we take out from its natural setting which we use in our gardens releases around 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. And as we all know, carbon dioxide in large amounts is contributing to the greenhouse effects which is damaging our planet, causing climate change.

According to a report by Kew Gardens, commercial and amateur gardeners in the UK purchase around 2.5 million cubic metres of peat, and over 90% of peat bogs have been damaged, or destroyed.

The irony is that we don`t need to dig up our peat bogs for us to use peat in our gardens. And apart from the damage we are doing to the earth, important wildlife habitats are being destroyed when we plunder our peat bogs. Some of that wildlife is unique, and we are in danger of driving some birds and animals to extinction if we aren`t careful about our actions.

How many gardeners in the UK realize the above facts? Gardeners generally care about the environment. Although much of the peat in use in compost bought in Britain comes from outside of the country, damage is still being done to peat bog areas in parts of Europe.

There`s just no need to tamper with the ecological balance of our planet in this way.

Many gardeners use mulch to place on top of soil in order to help keep weeds down. I`ve used bark in the past, and it works very well. There are other excellent alternatives, such as leafmold, animal manure, and composted garden waste. Recycling at its best!

Some plants grow very nicely without peat, and gardeners with an eye on the future look to using wood waste, leaf mould, animal manure, and home compost like kitchen scraps.

So, before buying compost, take a look at what`s in it. Check for peat use in container growing plants too. If peat is being used, think again. If you refuse to purchase these products it will eventually filter back, and the message will be made clear that use of peat is now totally unacceptable.

There are counterarguments. Some say that peat and only peat is good enough for some young pants to gro strong and healthy. That the amount of C02 emissions caused by digging up peat is miniscule compared to other things. That the amount we save by composting household waste rather than sending it to landfills is tiny. That those areas of peat bogs which are of scientific interest relative to wildlife should remain untouched, but in some parts of the world it makes no difference to wildlife. There MAY be some validity in all of those arguments, but surely we have to make a start somewhere to try to stop climate change?

Some of the big organizations, like the National Trust, no longer use peat based products. It doesn`t matter whether you are an amateur gardener, or a commercial grower, the facts show that there`s no need to use peat. Let`s keep the wildlife habitats untouched, thus helping our animal life to thrive. And, by not digging up our peat bogs, we could be doing the equivalent of taking over 100,000 cars off our roads. And who wouldn`t want that?





Articles page