One of the comments made is to what difference an individual can make. Not much of course, but if enough of us change our behaviour than we can make a difference. If the number of people willing to buy peat based compost falls then the incentive to bring it to market falls.
It’s the same rationale as voting. One persons vote doesn’t change anything but enough people voting has the chance of changing a government
The same with plastic, fossil fuels etc. It’s not about creating guilt or shame - if you feel guilt and shame thats because you agree with the argument but don’t want to or can’t be bothered change your behaviour.
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
I’m sure you’re sorry you asked the question! It’s only half a bag that you already have. As others have said, it can’t be put back and you now recognise it’s not a good thing to buy in future. I would use it for sowing seeds or growing on young plants, mixed with grit for plants or perlite for seeds, as peat is light in texture and low in nutrients, so very suitable for those purposes. Otherwise add it to potting mixes or just incorporate it into your soil.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Do we note that the thread has returned to that which is easiest to discuss? It's an Earth Plc problem of population growth that no amount of G7s or Davos meetings in the height of the ski season, will solve, but it's being used as 'the enemy' to keep the people's attention focused.
It's not so much that it's easiest to discuss, @nick615, but that it's something where we ordinary folk can make a tiny difference - unlike population growth... it's also more relevant to the OP's question, which was related to his desire to stop using peat in his garden
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
All this has been bashed out on many other threads. I compare this all with the banning of DDT. It caused a lot of howling and moaning and a sense of persecution at the time, but it just makes sense. I don't see how any of it is controversial in any real sense.
I wouldn't disagree, Liriodendron , but this is one of four hugely important subject areas where politicians steadfastly ignore confronting very crucial questions that will impact on the solution - one not so far from us? Not gardening, though, so least said, soonest mended.
It's an Earth Plc problem of population growth that no amount of G7s or Davos meetings in the height of the ski season, will solve, but it's being used as 'the enemy' to keep the people's attention focused.
You're right and you're also wrong. Politicians - or rather their civil service teams - find it hard to contemplate legislating for something they think will be unpopular. I know how hard it is to get them to be brave and ambitious, even when they are wholly persuaded that brave and ambitious action is necessary - and that's over simple things like banning gas boilers or insisting on better quality construction of homes. I have no idea what policy you would like to see enacted to manage the population, but I can't imagine the conversation that would lead to such definitive action.
At the same time, a long term reduction in the birth rate and ultimately population is an inevitable result of current policies, though none of them were designed to achieve that outcome. But the problem is too exigent and urgent for population reduction to make a difference. There are too many people here now and assuming you wouldn't advocate shooting billions of us, there's no time to make any difference to that. We have less than 10 years in the UK to make the changes needed to hit the Paris agreement, or anything close to it. We each have to consume less, burn less, waste less. There is no other way to meet our obligations to the rest of the world and to future generations.
Focusing on an ultimate solution misses the point, misses the target and avoids taking personal responsibility for your own part in the problem, which, frankly, makes you no better than the politicians you condemn for inaction. None of us - not even Boris - has the power to solve this. We all have a responsibility to try to make a difference. Accepting poorer quality bedding plants seems like quite a small ask, in the scheme of things.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
... I have no idea what policy you would like to see enacted to manage the population, but I can't imagine the conversation that would lead to such definitive action.
Well, somebody needs to have that conversation with Boris PDQ .... he obviously doesn't see it as his personal responsibility ...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
As has been said before
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
At the same time, a long term reduction in the birth rate and ultimately population is an inevitable result of current policies, though none of them were designed to achieve that outcome. But the problem is too exigent and urgent for population reduction to make a difference. There are too many people here now and assuming you wouldn't advocate shooting billions of us, there's no time to make any difference to that. We have less than 10 years in the UK to make the changes needed to hit the Paris agreement, or anything close to it. We each have to consume less, burn less, waste less. There is no other way to meet our obligations to the rest of the world and to future generations.
Focusing on an ultimate solution misses the point, misses the target and avoids taking personal responsibility for your own part in the problem, which, frankly, makes you no better than the politicians you condemn for inaction. None of us - not even Boris - has the power to solve this. We all have a responsibility to try to make a difference. Accepting poorer quality bedding plants seems like quite a small ask, in the scheme of things.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.