Do you consider yourself to be environmentally conscious?

[Anja]

Not meant to put pressure on anyone. I was just wondering how many of us would consider themselves to be interested in environmental issues and try to behave in a way that minimised environmental harm. So here is my question:

Do you consider yourself to be environmentally conscious?

If so, does this affect how you garden? In what ways?

Also, does it affect what you do in other areas of your life?

If not - or perhaps it's not a major consideration in what you do, what do you make of all the environmental debates around gardening, e.g. organic, GM, sustainability etc.?

This is still part of the little research project I'm conducting and has been sparked by responses I've got to some of my earlier questions and also some other discussions that have been going on here. I guess for many of you the answer to the first question is yes, but there may also be very legitimate other points of view, so I look forward to any responses.

Anja

P.S. As this is part of a small research project, your responses may eventually find their way into a published article but I would, of course, not reveal names, forum identities or any other personal information. I don't stand to make any money from this.

[Nature's Babe]

Do you consider yourself to be environmentally conscious?
Yes.
If so, does this affect how you garden? In what ways?
I garden without chemicals, organically
Garden for wildlife, pond habitat for newts frogs dragonflies, bee and beneficial insect friendly flowers, insect hotel, berries seeds and teazles for birds. plants for night pollinators.
No dig and mulch which helps solitary bees. sequesters more carbon.and allows natural soil microbial and mycelium activity without disturbance.
I use no peat, make my own compost, save some seeds and buy some
I recycle all sorts for containers, / large fish bowls for mini greenhouses etc
Free range ducks and slow worm slug patrol.

Does it affect other areas of my life?
Yes, I don't fly.
vegetarian for animal welfare and eco reasons, but respect others choices, will cook for meat eaters but not partake myself.
gave up my car, bus to shops.
sweep instead of hoover, lower my emissions where possible
solar heating
use a green energy company
produce and preserve as much veg and fruit as possible
save rainwater to conserve water.
use eco / ethical bank that supports green projects.


If not - or perhaps it's not a major consideration in what you do, what do you make of all the environmental debates around gardening, e.g. organic, GM, sustainability etc.?
I try to put beliefs into practise, consider and respect other species, the planet and future generations. GM, concerns me because of the unquantifiable environmental risks, lack of long term independent research, and control methods used by GM.

[madasafish]

Do you consider yourself to be environmentally conscious?
Yes.

If so, does this affect how you garden? In what ways?

I try to garden without artificial fertilizers and only use soap as a pesticide.
Recycle everything, make compost .. but regretfully have to buy my own seed compost as I'm no good at making it.
Use flowers to attract bees ( I started to keep bees this year).

Also, does it affect what you do in other areas of your life?
Grow lots of fruit and some veg, use Freecycle and try to opt out of consumerism.

If not - or perhaps it's not a major consideration in what you do, what do you make of all the environmental debates around gardening, e.g. organic, GM, sustainability etc.?

I hate being preached at. I hate and distrust the activist side of the movements - like the Animal Rights criminals or the tear up GM cretins - who do more harm to their cause than good.

As far as I see the GM side, I would welcome a sensible scientific debate. Most of what I see and read is emotional claptrap . (Yes- I have a degree in Physics so most of what I read is just opinion unsupported by facts. So it can be ignored).

It is obvious that careful husbandry of soil etc makes sense. Is it economic? Remember we as a world have to feed a large population. Killing off fish stocks makes no sense nor destroying the soil.

BUT the organic/sustainable side has to distance itself not from the eccentrics but from the obvious claptrap..if it is to convince people. And explain how to work with Nature.

[Nature's Babe]

Hi Masdafish,

It is obvious that careful husbandry of soil etc makes sense. Is it economic? Remember we as a world have to feed a large population. Killing off fish stocks makes no sense nor destroying the soil.

that really makes sense, common sense,it applies to water air and bio diversity too. The ecomomic and science "experts" are just discovering this, and beginning to realise the costs.

[Johnboy]

Hi NB,

that really makes sense, common sense,it applies to water air and bio diversity too. The ecomomic and science "experts" are just discovering this, and beginning to realise the costs.

Scientists have been aware of many things for many many years but they deal in facts and sadly this is what the green faction will not listen to. The greens have will only listen to their own anenda which is not necessarily anything to do with science. Much of what has been preached by the greens over the years is actually against science.
What I am trying to say is that there are faults on both sides but it has been the greens that refuse to discuss anything.
JB.

[Nature's Babe]

Being human, scientists can be fallible too Johnboy often they put forward a theory then cherry pick facts to support it, as in nutrition first advising us one thing and then the opposite

[glallotments]

I do consider myself to be enviromentally conscious but not obssessively so.

Although wherever possible we don't use pesticides but we will use something as environemntally friendly as possible to control some things which would otherwise devastate our crops if other methods were failing. This would be something that was selective and didn't impact adversely on other wildlife.

We encourage as much wildlife into our garden and onto our plot as possible this is through providing natural and manmade habitats and through feeding by providing natural and supplementary food sources. We garden with wildlife in mind taking care when tidying up leaves etc.

Outside of the garden - we recycle as much as is possible and avoid unnecesssary packaging.

We make sure our home is as energy efficient as possible.

I agree with Madafish in that I do not want to be preached at. I want to make up my own mind from the facts that are available. I feel that sometimes politics can squew the way in which data/facts are presented and often suspect a hidden agenda and scaremongering tactics being used. Further research often reveals that environmental issues are not as clear cut as they are presented.

As for the GM debate - science has always influenced what we grow with most things that we grow and eat being far from natural! Plants are cross pollinated to encourage a new variety to benefit from the characteristics of more than one plant and in so doing this has often created varieties that are less beneficial to the environment. On a simplistic level double flowered plants or pollen free varieties of flowers diminish the food chains of nectar and pollen feeding insects and those that feed upon them. I think we need to consider the outcomes of using GM carefully. If it can feed people who would otherwise go hungry or be beneficial in other ways such as reducing the amount of land being used to grow crops without haven't a detrimental effect on food chains or the environment then I am open minded about its use.

[Johnboy]

Well said Glallotments. I agree 100% with what you have said and the way with which you have said it. There is no possible way with which anybody, whatever their persuasion, could take offence of what you have said and you have covered it all!
Brilliant piece of writing.
Sincerely,
Johnboy.

[richard p]

i reckon i became more environmentally aware when my hair started thinning.... i could feel the raindrops landing......
yes it does affect my gardening... i dont like working in the rain.... much prefere some warm sunshine, but if i get too warm and sticky i start shedding clothes... sometimes dont wait for the end of may either.
sorry had too much blackberry wine (blackberries, water, sugar and yeast, no nasty chemicals) to remember the rest of the question

[madasafish]

Richard
I have that thinning problem too.

I believe the solution is called a "hat".

They work well in keeping your solar panel dry - and warm.

I have three baseball ones - one ex Aldi with LEDs in it - great for night putting turkeys to bed - and one waterproof one.
Plus two knitted ones for running - one a balaclava for running in really cold days - I mean below -5C when my ears feel as if they are going to get frostbite.
Essential when running in last winter at 6.30am.

[richard p]

i too have several hats.... basic tea cosy type woolly ones to keep the cold orf, i suppose we will soon have a generation who doent know what tea cosy is,.... ive got a balaclava as well, dont wear it very often though. the basic baseball hatto keep the rain off thetop and out the eyes and a couple of what ive always called jungle hats... the basic ex army type olive green things with a brim all
round for the summer.

ive also got a couple of jumpers with hoods attached... which i gather are now referred to as hoodies, and apparently im not allowed to wear them in the village shops.... there are notices on the doors stating "no hoodies" which seems a bit harsh to me,,,, they allow "glastonbury types" in wearing all sorts of weird concoctions.


anyway i guess ill be told off for rambling orf topic... but i thought it a pretty daft question... i dont see how anybody can garden or indeed do any sort of work or activity outside in the elements without being conscious of the environment..... theyed have to be short of something in the mental department not to notice whats going on around them. which i suppose is why we get people trying to go up snowdon in flip flops and shorts in snowstorms .... have i just proved myself wrong again.