EDITOR'S WELCOME
“Climate change isn’t about countries: it’s about people. It’s about the world we want to live in for generations to come and the species we share it with. In other words, it’s far too important to leave just to world leaders – this crisis requires all of us to step up.”
Governor of California, Gavin Newsom
The climate crisis facing our planet is a scary one, there is no doubt about that. It can feel futile as an individual, in the face of such a global emergency, to try to make a difference.
As gardeners, we are not powerless; we are already taking small steps which, when viewed collectively, make a massive difference.
In this issue, we celebrate the wonderful things gardeners around Scotland are already doing to make a difference in the climate race. We feature real gardens incorporating real solutions from creating a rain garden and building a food forest to a mum enabling others to grow their own produce and an urban college which has students gardening on the roof!
Our columnists in this issue bring you a wealth of their own ideas to help make your garden design more sustainable; to encourage you to think about composting waste; to illustrate how to use water in a smarter way; to reduce food waste and to welcome wildlife to your plot.
We highlight the benefit of saving your own seeds, visit an island community who are moving towards self-sufficiency and think about Scotland’s horticultural future.
We hope to inspire you throughout this issue with easy steps you can take right now in your garden to be kinder to the planet under the broad headings of employing sustainable gardening solutions, protecting and restoring natural habitats and ecosystems, and reducing food waste.
The world saw a glimpse of a cleaner world during the lockdown of 2020 as air travel dropped by 50% and lockdowns reduced our carbon emissions to the lowest levels since WW2 during that period. Known as the ‘anthropause’, it illustrates that if bold action is taken, so much can be achieved.
There is no pathway to net zero without protecting nature and enhancing biodiversity; world leaders must include nature-based solutions in their climate plans. Currently only 3% of global climate finance is spent on nature-based solutions and yet estimates cite that nature-based climate solutions can deliver at least 30% of the emissions reductions needed by 2030. If only we could lock world leaders down in a garden for a few days to enable them to see how small steps, taken by many, can culminate in an enormous, collective difference.
As gardeners and growers we are well-placed to lead the way. Bold action starts with small steps - we hope in this issue to encourage you to step up further in our #ScotlandGrowsChallenge!
M.T. O’Donnell
Editor
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