Why Sustainable Gardening?
You're invited to contribute to this growing list of reasons to garden sustainably. It's a work in progress and I encourage your comments and additions - just send 'em along.
Fertilizers and the Problems they Cause
- Run-off from the use of fertilizers, especially the synthetic kind, is a major cause of water pollution.
- Production of synthetic fertilizer requires fossil fuels as inputs, then are shipped considerable distances to our gardens. Home-grown compost and mulch are free, the products of recycling. And they're far better for our soil, the wildlife, and our plants.
- Increasingly, sustainability includes choosing organic fertilizers from local sources.
Water - a Limited Resource
- Not just in the arid West anymore, especially with the worsening droughts associated with climate change.
- Here's a good overview of water scarcity issues.
- I love this report about holding people responsible for the water they waste.
Pesticides - Not a Pretty Story
- Pesticides kill beneficial insects too, and can even can kill birds and other wildlife that feed on the affected insects. Remember the Monarch!
- Rachel Carson sounded the alarm that finally most of us are hearing - that not just DDT and other since-banned chemicals harm the environment. Lots of still-legal ones are dangerous to humans, our pets, and a wide range of species in our gardens.
- The use of pesticides turns our plants into pesticide-dependent junkies. Seriously, it can take years for them to detox and start to thrive on their own again.
- Here's Penn State on "Why not just use a pesticide?"
More Good Info on Line
- Beyond Pesticides is a terrific resource.
- No Impact Man is making news, writing books, even starring in a new documentary. Very cool.
- WaterConserve.org is a good source.
- ChesapeakeClimate.org will induce some long surfing, then maybe taking action.
- Environment and Human Health
- Pesticide Action Network North America
- You can help by contributing more great links and book ideas.