Everything raisingirl says is absolutely correct, as are others on this post, UNTIL we mistakenly think the measures will solve the problem. Admitting where the problem lies will be of immense value. Of course we should respect the planet, as I and many others do, but, to quote the notion of ten years in which to fulfil our Accord/Treaty obligations, by then there will be 1.82 billion more of us @ 365 x 10 x 50,000, each of whom will require food and raw materials to survive. I feel we need to know that.
Really overpopulation is not the cause of climate change nor a reason to be slack in our responsibilities. The drivers of climate change historically, now, and in the future are not tied to overpopulation. True enough I cannot see a future where the whole world enjoys (?) our lifestyle. We're not entitled to it, as we are not entitled to peat. It is a life out of balance, a debt accumulating that will be paid by generations to come.
There are quite a lot of peat free nurseries etc, and growing all the time; if they can do it so can we. It just makes sense to use renewable products e.g. composted bark and green waste rather than digging up peat. I'm sceptical it makes sense to import coir for this purpose though, due to the shipping involved, but I could be wrong. There may be some role for coir, or even peat, at certain stages of glasshouse production where sterility and consistency are needed, but not for hanging baskets, tomato bags or, god forbid, as soil conditioners.
The way we buy plants may need to change in general. I've just planted up a scheme with both 2l and 9cm pots. The 9cm stock has grown well and nearly caught up with the 2l stuff in a matter of weeks. That's a whole lot of compost, plastic and energy (and money) we have saved by planting out less advanced stock. Bare root needs to make a comeback. At Chatsworth they have just planted up the latest phase of the Arcadia planting with mainly bare root stock. It's indistiguishable from the previous phase planted as 9cm stock. These are plants grown in open fields and then simply lifted. No potting on, so no compost or plastic pots required, and more efficiently transported.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
micearguers Thanks for the attachment, which I didn't know existed. Interestingly, in attributing causes to northern hemisphere countries, it omitted to mention that 90% of the world's population lives north of the equator. Thank goodness for the Norfolk Broads?
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The way we buy plants may need to change in general. I've just planted up a scheme with both 2l and 9cm pots. The 9cm stock has grown well and nearly caught up with the 2l stuff in a matter of weeks. That's a whole lot of compost, plastic and energy (and money) we have saved by planting out less advanced stock. Bare root needs to make a comeback. At Chatsworth they have just planted up the latest phase of the Arcadia planting with mainly bare root stock. It's indistiguishable from the previous phase planted as 9cm stock. These are plants grown in open fields and then simply lifted. No potting on, so no compost or plastic pots required, and more efficiently transported.