Gardeners can make a significant difference in protecting the environment and this book by Joe Lamp’l, host of the PBS series GardenSmart, tells them how. Actually, any home owner can profit from Lamp’l’s advice too because it touches on all sorts of practices that are part of maintaining a home. His ideas are simple and practical and many can be employed by changing a habit.
Lamp’l focuses on five areas of environmental concern; water, damaging chemicals, soil erosion, waste disposal, and energy use. He discusses the problems associated with each and then points the way towards solutions that involve responsible choices. He backs up his suggestions with facts about the environment and resource use that help the reader look at their gardening practices in a whole new way. It just makes sense, as Lamp’s points out, to clean your driveway with a broom rather than use 100 gal of water. O.K., the broom is too much work, try a blower; it’s not as environmentally friendly as the broom but if its battery operated it is not nearly as harmful as wasting all that water. And be sure to fix any leaky hoses; at the rate of 1 drip per second, a leaking hose will waste almost 260 gallons a month. Next time you go to buy synthetic fertilizer consider that each 40 pound bag contains the equivalent of approximately 2.5 gallons of gasoline. Humm…makes composting seems more worthwhile. Be sure to include paper, fur, hair, wool and cotton fabric as well as vegetable and fruit food waste in that compost pile. These tips and many more make interesting reading and add to the growing list of ways to preserve the environment.
The final chapter stresses the importance of spreading the word. Lamp’l points out that gardeners can change their own habits and make a difference but they can also tell other people about their efforts and encourage them to do the same. He gives concrete suggestions such as establishing an eco-friendly garden at a local school, or participation in a neighborhood beautification plan. By these and other efforts gardeners can set an example and encourage people to consider their role in the stewardship of the environment.
To buy Green Gardener’s Guide: Simple, Significant Actions to Protect & Preserve Our Planet from Amazon.com click here.
Karen Meyers