Much has changed since I last regularly blogged in 2015. While I converted about 500 sq ft of lawn into garden and added a swimming pool, in the grand scheme of things, my gardens have not changed much. So what has?
My own awareness has changed.
Awareness of the twin crises of biodiversity and climate, though to speak of them separately doesn't do justice to the interconnectedness of these existential risks to life-as-we-know-it. In May of 2019 the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) declared the world's biodiversity crisis was unprecedented in human history with around 1 million animal and plant species threatened with extinction. Many within decades, not some distant future.
Then in November of 2019 over 11,000 scientists from around the planet unequivocally stated the world was in a global climate crisis. Further, they made it crystal clear we must change how we live if we are to secure a sustainable future.
Luckily for our planet I am not alone. Though scientists have been warning about declining biodiversity for years, the message had not caught on with the public. People adapt to gradual change and we literally didn't see what we were losing.
With increasing climate disasters around the world, people are more open now to understanding the whole picture, including the impact of species loss and declining biodiversity.
What have I done with this new knowledge?
I increased my donations to environmental organizations, changed how my family eats and shops - and I began to think critically about the impact my favorite hobby is having on our planet. Despite already having a certified 'wildlife-friendly' yard, I have begun to change how I garden.
Here is some of what I have learned so far:
- there is a lot gardeners can - and should - be doing
- the scale and scope of gardening in North America is such that gardeners' behaviours makes a tangible difference in the balance of our ecosystems
- in a world where everyday grocery shopping can be a frustrating exercise in sustainability I find it empowering to have found something so vital I can do so much about, with my own two hands
- Though I received my Master Gardner certification in April of 2019, I've recognize how much I still have to learn
I look forward to sharing with you what I lean as I strive to turn my property into a space that supports even more biodiversity.
Are you changing too?I've love to hear in the comments about how you're changing your own gardening practices to help the planet.
Image credits:
"biodiversity jenga" by Kalense Kid is licensed with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
"Invest in our childrens future, leave coal in the past - Climate crisis rally Melbourne - IMG 7672 (49569082897).jpg" by John Englart from Fawkner, Australia is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
