Did you know that gardening is good for the environment and can help combat climate change? That's right! Plants naturally clean the air and ground. They remove carbon dioxide from the air in the photosynthesis process and produce oxygen, which we need to survive. Their roots also absorb carbon dioxide and chemicals from the soil and eventually turn it into decayed organic matter.
Another thing you can do to help the earth is make your own compost. I started doing this last year and it's not as hard as you might think. I'll do another blog on this topic in the future, but compost helps keep your food scraps and garden waste out of the landfills, which produce not only carbon dioxide, but methane gas. Methane has the potential to be 25 times worse for global warming than carbon dioxide. Using compost and organic fertilizers definitely are good for the environment. It replenishes nutrients in the soil and your plants will love it!
Growing your own food also cuts down on the greenhouse gasses that are produced in processing and transporting food to stores. Harvesting veggies from your backyard and bringing the into your home is much more sustainable for the environment.
Lastly, growing flowers and veggies supports beneficial insects and birds. Pollinators like bees and butterflies need all the support they can get. Plants provide them with both a food source and protection from predators. Birds are drawn to natural areas and can help protect your garden from unwanted predators and insects.
You might think that with the enormous challenges facing the earth and environment that one garden won't make much of a difference. But we can all do our part and it will definitely add up. So celebrate Earth Day by getting outside and planting something green!
