Gardening Tips, Latest News, Winter
Sustainable Gardening & Reducing our Carbon Footprint
We believe that gardening and being green go hand in hand, and it’s no secret that gardening benefits the earth in multiple ways; plants clean the air plants clean the air and release oxygen whilst absorbing dioxide and other pollutants, and of course attract insects which are a huge part of our eco-system. Not only this but gardening hugely benefits biodiversity and contributes towards creating habitats for wildlife, growing our own food is also a fantastic way of reducing the devastating impact that huge changes in agriculture have caused, as well as reducing food and plastic waste.
In this blog we will outline some of ways in which we are trying our best to be as friendly to our wonderful planet as we can by reducing our carbon foot print, and some tips on how you at home can introduce methods to your gardening that will benefit the environment.
Ensuring we are as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible, is something that we are passionate about; we have introduced and implemented several environmentally friendly methods – some of which very few of our customers know about. So, here are the things we’re doing to reduce our carbon footprint.
Biomass Boiler/ Geothermal Heating
In 2014 we installed a biomass boiler, this generates heat for the garden centre, our café and some of our tenants on site. The biomass boiler runs on wood pellets and produces just a fraction of the emissions of fossil fuels. When biomass fuels are combusted, they release only the same amount of carbon which was consumed by the growing plant. These carbon levels are consistent and sustainable because the fuel source is replanted after it has been harvested.
- We make enough renewable energy from this to heat 22 houses for a year.
Solar Energy
We have installed solar panels on some of the roofs of our buildings which significantly contribute towards the electricity supply for the garden centre, café, and some tenants. Our solar panels output 60kw, to give you an idea of what this means, we make enough electricity to…
- Power 21.4 houses for a year
- Power an electric dishwasher for 60 loads
- Power a washing machine for 52 cycles
- Fully charge a Nissan Leaf Electric Car 3 times
Other than this, we also have a cardboard compressor and baler which has a small carbon footprint, are upgrading to LED lighting, use recyclable pots and boot liners, source sustainable wood products, provide paper bags and straws, and offer a range of peat and chemical free gardening products.
Tips for Sustainable Gardening
Saving Water
Try using a watering can to water your garden, instead of a hose pipe or sprinkler. Or even better, install a water butt to collect rain water for watering the garden.
Go Peat Free
Peat emits carbon dioxide and methane into the air and damages habitats. Try using a peat free compost next time you buy some.
Grow Your Own
Aside from being therapeutic and satisfactory, growing your own food reduced food and plastic waste.
Planting for Pollinators
Loss of habitat is a huge issue for pollinators, luckily we can help them by planting a number of plants to support the diversity of pollinators.
Make Your Own Compost
Compost your kitchen and garden scraps.
Eco Friendly/ Recycled Seed Trays
Instead of buying plastic seed trays, buy fibre trays, or recycle egg cartons, trays and yogurt pots.
