Defra’s consultation on ending peat use in horticulture is very welcome, even if we’d like to see an end to peat use in gardens and horticulture much sooner than proposed.
It’s interesting how climate change has brought new focus to the archaic practice of using peat in our gardens and for professional horticulture. Peat bogs are of course important stores of carbon, and digging them up releases that carbon as CO2 contributing to climate change - as much as 300,000 cars for the UK’s peat use.
Add that to the fact that peat bogs are one of the most destroyed habitats in Europe, and you’d think that action to end peat use would be a no-brainer. Yet there have been some heated exchanges in the last few weeks, and a disappointing lack of constructive discussion about how to move forward from the failure to meet the longstanding 2010 target for 90% of ‘composts’ to be peat alternatives.
The RSPB’s contribution has been to develop a proposal for a retail peat levy, as one solution to ending the market advantage enjoyed by peat products. It would add about £1 to the cost of a bag of peat, helping make alternatives more attractive and, in the short-term at least, potentially raising money for conservation. We delighted that this has struck a chord with some key players within the industry and the gardening world, and we hope we can use this to build momentum to achieve real change. A levy is just one way of delivering peat-free gardening in the UK. There may be other ways, and, as we tell Defra in our consultation response, we are open to other ideas. As long as they lead to an end to this destructive dependance on peat in our gardens.