Climate-friendly gardening

**Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Gardening:**
– Fossil fuels and cement production contribute to two-thirds of climate change.
– Human land use accounts for one-third of climate change.
– Main greenhouse gases emitted from unsustainable land use include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
– Unsustainable practices like deforestation, soil cultivation, and burning garden waste release carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
– Black carbon from burning garden waste and transportation also acts as a greenhouse gas.
– Gardening practices that contribute to excess greenhouse gas emissions include compacted soil, compost heaps, and burning garden waste.

**Carbon Storage and Sequestration in Gardening:**
– Sustainable gardening approaches help reduce climate impact by absorbing carbon dioxide.
– Protecting and enhancing carbon stores in gardens, woodlands, wetlands, and beyond is essential.
– Soil is a significant terrestrial carbon store, with 86% of carbon stores in gardens estimated to be in the soil.
– Practices like protecting soil organic matter, planting trees, and using sustainable wood sources aid in carbon sequestration.
– Climate-friendly gardeners prioritize enhancing soil carbon storage through erosion prevention and optimal plant growth conditions.

**Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Gardening and Homes:**
– Practices like using hand tools, composting organic waste, and choosing renewable electricity help reduce emissions.
– Increasing biodiversity, avoiding pesticides, and using nitrogen-fixing plants aid in carbon storage.
– Sustainable gardening practices like using compost and biochar from waste products promote resilience and reduce energy needs.
– Reducing consumption of tap water, materials, and transportation helps minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
– Growing perennial food plants, eating less meat, and composting garden waste are strategies to reduce emissions.

**Water Conservation and Sustainable Practices in Gardening:**
– Efficient irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting, and mulching help conserve water.
– Drip irrigation, planting drought-resistant plants, and using permeable paving aid in sustainable water management.
– Sustainable lawn care practices like replacing lawns with native vegetation and reducing mowing frequency conserve water.
– Greenhouse management techniques like using water tanks for heating and choosing plants that require less heating help reduce emissions.
– Soil management practices such as composting, crop rotation, and minimizing tillage promote sustainable gardening.

**Climate Change Resilience and Biodiversity Conservation in Gardening:**
– Changing climate patterns impact plant growth, necessitating climate-resilient plant varieties.
– Extreme weather events pose risks to gardens, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices.
– Biodiversity conservation through native plant cultivation attracts beneficial organisms and promotes ecosystem health.
– Soil management practices like composting, cover cropping, and crop rotation enhance soil health and biodiversity.
– Practices like planting hedges, trees, and shrubs for natural insulation and growing carminative plants reduce personal greenhouse gas emissions.