This morning, The Independent reported, gardeners in the UK are doing more harm than good by gardening. Gardening is typically considered a green hobby. Kudos to UK gardeners who use organic methods. According to the report, only about half of UK lawns and gardens leave a big footprint on the environmental landscape with the use of chemicals. American gardeners have no cause to pass judgment. Research by the National Gardening Association shows just 39% of US gardeners surveyed, use or plan to use organic gardening methods.
The UK article cites these footprint factors:
- Pollution from lawn mowers (releases CO2)
- Peat usage (releases CO2)
- Lawn sprinklers (increased water usage)
- Pavement (just a small area has a one ton footprint)
- Garden chemicals (soil, water and air pollution)
- Invasive plants (require intensive clean-up)
Are organic gardeners included in this research? These certainly don't sound like organic gardening practices.
For example, here are some organic methods Denver gardeners use:
- Xeriscape (water wise and environmentally sound practices)
- Composting in place of peat and nitrogen based fertilizers
- Natural pest control in place of pesticides
- Less grassy areas, more low water plants
- Manual mowers
- Incorporating native plants, not invasive transplants
The UK article neglects to mention the environmental benefits of home gardening.
Growing your own:
- Cuts transport pollution
- Reduces the need for large scale environmentally hazardous agriculture
- Promotes healthy eating habits and encourages exercise (a healthy population begets a healthy planet)
We can only guess as to whether these considerations were factored in. One thing is certain, though. UK gardeners using organic practices deserve more than a brief mention. They should be applauded for their efforts, as should the statistical 39% of US gardeners who care about their environmental impact. As for the rest, whether you live in Denver, New York City, Los Angeles or somewhere across the big pond, take note. If you're not an organic gardener, your garden may be a health hazard.
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