From the plants and compost we purchase to the plastic and pesticides we don’t, and from the way we cut our lawns and trim our hedges to how we dispose of our waste, there are many ways we can green up our gardening game.
You may think you won’t make much difference as an individual, but there are 22 million gardens in the UK, plus countless balconies, courtyards and windowsills, all with the potential to contribute to a greener way of gardening. Imagine if we all did things a little greener, how much less plastic we would use and how much carbon dioxide (CO2) we could keep out of the air? Imagine how much water we could save and how many more wild species, such as hedgehogs and bees, we could help keep alive?
Out of the UK population, gardeners are among the most concerned to act positively for the planet. In a recent poll, 39 per cent said they are doing so already, versus 14 per cent of the general population*. Gardeners also recycle more, actively avoid waste where they can and are engaging with environmental issues.
74% of those who read some Growing Greener content are now gardening differently following the campaign
78% agree that the Growing Greener content “taught me something new about green/sustainable gardening”
Your views and actions
We have learnt that GW readers are already passionate and knowledgeable about greener growing, and are hugely committed to making lifestyle changes to help the environment:
81% of readers think single-use plastics should be banned, versus 65 per cent of the general population
44% of you always make an effort to cut down on water usage at home – for the general population it’s 28 per cent
are prepared to make lifestyle compromises to benefit the environment, versus
