(Photo via Alibaba)
Some time ago I was comparing the environmental impacts between peat, coconut fibre and compost in a conversation with Raphael and Frank, a volunteer. Using peat destroys wetlands that keep water clean and releases a lot of climate changing gases into the air. Peat is used in a lot of your typical greenhouse and potted plant operations in Toronto and elsewhere.
For Peat’s Sake: Alternative Growing Media: “Peat, or semi-decayed vegetation matter, has been used by commercial growers and amateur gardeners since the middle of the 20th century. Peat is added to potting soil to help retain moisture and provide additional nutrients. As the demand for peat grew, acres of peat bogs were being drained and destroyed.”
THE COCONUT SOLUTION
FoodCycles definitely tries its best not to use soil with peat — we use coconut fibre as much as possible. Though coconut does travel long distances there are several things that make it better than peat.
1. It’s generally wasted in the tropics because there’s so much of it in the tropics. It just falls off the trees in huge amounts.
2. It doesn’t take that much machine or human processing to create a block of coconut to use for growing sprouts or plants.
3. It doesn’t destroy wetlands like peat mining does. That means you don’t lose a natural, energy-less way of cleaning drinking water and it means that no climate changing gases are released (i.e. methane).
WHAT ABOUT COMPOST?
Nothing beats locally made, home grown compost hands down — whether through worm composting or your usual big pile composting. Worm compost adds good bacteria and fungus to help plants “eat” better while other kinds of compost give plants the actual “food” (i.e. nitrogen to grow and for strong health). Compost is great for potted plants indoors or outdoors though not as good for just doing straight sprouting — coconut fibre is a low acid better way for that.
In terms of environmental impact, locally made worm compost not only doesn’t require shipping or fuel, it doesn’t destroy precious wetlands and it turns wasted food into a wonderful plant fertilizer for flowers or for food.
Anyhow,if you want to see how FoodCycles grows its sprouts (in trays) feel free to come by the farm (arrange a time) and learn about it! There isn’t enough compost for our sprouting uses yet though we definitely try our hardest to use as much coir as possible (sprouts for sure).
REFERENCES
For Peat’s Sake: Alternative Growing Media
Global Warming Predicted To Hasten Carbon Release From Peat Bogs
Worm Composting via City Farmer
Aerated static pile composting
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