Category Archives: ethics

It’s Time To Have Your Peat-Free Say On ‘Towards Sustainable Growing Media’

Posted on July 19, 2012 by John Walker

The chair of the government’s Sustainable Growing Media Task Force (SGMTF), Dr Alan Knight, has now published his chair’s report and draft ‘road map’, Towards Sustainable Growing Media. You might well be wondering why we actually need a map, when a … Continue reading →

Posted in blog, climate- & earth-friendly gardening, ecological sustainability, environment, ethics, garden centres & gardening industry, garden compost & composting, media, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, peat & peat-free compost, renewable gardening | 2 Comments

Modified New World

Posted on February 15, 2012 by John Walker

Letting the GM genie out of its biotech bottle hasn’t just changed day-to-day life on our allotments, it’s itching to take over control of life itself. By John Walker. Published on the Hartley Botanic website, 15th February 2012. They’ll be … Continue reading →

Posted in allotments, eco gardening, environment, ethics, food & kitchen gardening, genetically modified (GM) crops, glyphosate, green gardening, greenwash, media, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, pesticides in the garden, published articles | Leave a comment

Bring Me Sunshine: The Power Behind Renewable Gardening

Posted on September 15, 2011 by John Walker

Using a greenhouse to grow your own food will make your garden greener and help trim your ‘ecological footprint’ – but only if you tap into the right kind of sunshine. By John Walker. Published on the Hartley Botanic website, 23rd September … Continue reading →

Posted in carbon emissions, carbon footprint, climate change & global warming, climate- & earth-friendly gardening, ecological footprints, energy use, environment, ethics, food & kitchen gardening, fossil fuels, gardening footprint, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, peat & peat-free compost, pollution, published articles, renewable gardening | Leave a comment

The Peat ‘Debate’ Does Us All Harm

Posted on June 14, 2011 by John Walker

The belief that by using peat compost we can benefit nature keeps us disconnected from the natural world. By John Walker. Published in Garden News, 14th June 2011. Of all the harebrained excuses I’ve seen bandied around for the continued … Continue reading →

Posted in carbon emissions, carbon footprint, climate change & global warming, climate- & earth-friendly gardening, ecological sustainability, environment, ethics, garden centres & gardening industry, nature & the natural world, peat & peat-free compost, published articles | Leave a comment

The Peat Delusion

Posted on June 15, 2010 by John Walker

As gardening spin urges us to keep buying peat compost, science is telling us that the safest place for peat is in the ground. By John Walker. Published in Kitchen Garden, June 2010. “If you are concerned about green issues, … Continue reading →

Posted in carbon emissions, climate change & global warming, climate- & earth-friendly gardening, environment, ethics, fossil fuels, garden centres & gardening industry, garden compost & composting, greenwash, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, peat & peat-free compost, published articles | Leave a comment

Drinking the Blues

Posted on September 15, 2009 by John Walker

As concern grows over the pollution of drinking water by metaldehyde slug pellets, what role are pellet-happy gardeners playing, and why aren’t our gardening media mentioning it? By John Walker. Published in Kitchen Garden, September 2009. What’s a quick way … Continue reading →

Posted in allotments, eco gardening, environment, ethics, food & kitchen gardening, garden centres & gardening industry, gardening footprint, green gardening, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, pesticides in the garden, pollution, published articles, renewable gardening, soil, water & 'water footprints', weedkiller residues | Leave a comment

How Many Beans in a Butt?

Posted on April 15, 2009 by John Walker

What can you do to stop life-giving supplies of water in distant lands from drying up? Grow your own food, of course. By John Walker. Published in Organic Garden & Home, April 2009. Now, here’s a question: how many full … Continue reading →

Posted in carbon emissions, carbon footprint, climate- & earth-friendly gardening, ecological footprints, ecological sustainability, energy use, ethics, food & kitchen gardening, food miles, organic gardening, published articles, rainwater harvesting, water & 'water footprints' | Leave a comment

Plastic Tears

Posted on February 15, 2009 by John Walker

Although plastic pollution is looking like an environmental time bomb, we can help defuse it by actually using more plastic in our gardens. By John Walker. Published in Organic Garden & Home, February 2009. Should you bump into me while … Continue reading →

Posted in climate- & earth-friendly gardening, eco gardening, environment, ethics, gardening footprint, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, plastic, pollution, published articles, recycling | Leave a comment

We Shop, Planet Drops

Posted on January 15, 2009 by John Walker

Prudent use of natural resources is at the core of gardening organically, so why is the nation’s head gardener urging us to shop? By John Walker. Published in Organic Garden & Home, January 2009. It’s time to grab your wallets … Continue reading →

Posted in carbon emissions, carbon footprint, climate change & global warming, ecological footprints, energy use, environment, ethics, food & kitchen gardening, food miles, fossil fuels, garden centres & gardening industry, gardening footprint, glyphosate, greenwash, media, organic gardening, overconsumption, pollution, published articles, tv gardening & celebrities | Leave a comment

Friends With the Earth?

Posted on November 15, 2008 by John Walker

To cut carbon emissions and help stabilise our climate, gardeners must see gardening as a force for environmental good. We should start by turning lawns into food gardens. By John Walker. Published in The Garden, November 2008. When it comes to … Continue reading →

Posted in carbon emissions, carbon footprint, energy use, environment, ethics, food & kitchen gardening, food miles, fossil fuels, garden centres & gardening industry, gardening footprint, greenwash, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, pesticides in the garden, published articles, tv gardening & celebrities | Leave a comment