Sand_Issue_September-2018

garden
8 wellness
Plastic-free Gardening
If you love gardening, you
probably love the environment too
and want to do all you can to help
protect the planet. But take a look
around your garden and it’s likely
that you’ll find lots of plastic – not
the most environment-friendly
material!
From plant pots to plastic
packaging, many modern garden
supplies are made using plastic.
But if you’ve decided to cut the
amount of plastic in your daily life,
how can you reduce the amount of
plastic used in the garden? Here
are our tips:
Look for alternatives
It’s estimated that 500 million
plant pots and seed trays are sold
every year. The majority are made
from plastic and when they’re
thrown away, they usually end up
in landfill. So, this is an obvious
place to start. Luckily, there are
lots of alternatives to plastic plant
pots and seed trays. Seek out
alternatives using materials such
as coir or other biodegradable
options. Or perhaps have a look
at making your own from old loo
paper rolls or newspapers.
Recycle
Take care of your existing
plastic products and hopefully
you won’t need to replace them
for many years. Keep using your
plastic pots until they fall apart to
get the most use from them.
When your plastic products
are ready for the bin, consider
whether you can reuse them
rather than throwing them away.
The plastic bags that compost is
often packaged in, for example,
could be reused for storing your
own homemade compost or other
garden items. And if you do need
to throw away plastic products
that no longer work, check if they
can be recycled before putting in
the regular waste, which could end
up going to landfill.
Choose wood
Many plastic products around
the garden can easily be swapped
for wooden alternatives. Take a
look online or at your local garden
centre to find wooden compost
bins, plant labels, planters and
more.
Avoid packaging
Plastic seems to be the number
one choice when it comes to
packaging. But if consumers
start asking for alternatives,
manufacturers and retailers will
have to take notice. Always ask
if there is an alternative when
buying supplies for your garden.
For example, ask for plants to
be wrapped in newspaper rather
than plastic when buying from a
garden centre. Some suppliers will
also allow you to bring your own
container when buying products
such as bark chippings, soil or
gravel, to avoid unnecessary
packaging.
Shop around for
furniture
Plastic garden furniture might
be cheap and it’s a popular choice
as it’s weather-resistant and easy
to clean. But traditional wooden
furniture always looks much nicer
and is a kinder option for the
environment.
Rather than buying new
furniture, take a look at secondhand
goods advertised locally to
get a good deal. Even wooden
furniture and storage that’s started
to look a bit tired can be given a
new lease of life with a quick lick
of paint. Just remember to choose
paint that is non-toxic and kind to
the environment.
We hope our tips have given
you the inspiration to go plasticfree
in your garden. Once you get
going, you’ll find lots of materials
you can re-use and recycle to
create a beautiful and planetfriendly
garden.
yourwellness.com