Make the world we live in a better place
In the face of global warming, it is easy to feel overwhelmed...
Make the world we live in a better place
In the face of global warming, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless to change our world for the better, but small changes can make a big difference.
If we all start to make positive changes, there’s hope that we can begin to restore the world to its natural balance.
5 ways to conserve and protect plants
Plants are the backbone of all life. Without plants; air, food, water, some medicines and, of course, our natural and organic beauty products simply wouldn’t exist! Some of the key threats that face plant diversity include:
Habitat loss and degradation
Pollution and disease
Climate change
Here are 5 simple things you can do to help conserve and protect plants from these threats.
Grow your own
Investing in an edible garden gives you the opportunity to grow a wide array of interesting plants with flavours fresher than money can buy. Foregoing supermarkets in favour of home grown vegetables, herbs and fruits not only saves you money but also helps protect the planet.
While it takes a huge commitment to become totally self-sufficient when it comes to the food we eat, you can start reducing your environmental impact and carbon footprint by growing just one or two of your favourite foods in the comfort of your garden, or even a sunny window sill!
Use natural pesticides
While they may protect the plant they’re purposed for, pesticides can contaminate soil, water and other vegetation, causing harm to birds, fish, beneficial insects and non-target plants. This can have a devastating impact on pollination, thus throwing the whole ecosystem out of balance.
Clever plant combining or making your own natural pesticides using common food items such as garlic and pepper are a great way to combat invasive species without harming the environment or your health. Items such as baby shampoo, oil or garlic mixed with water can repel insects. DoTERRA do a fantastic repellent blend called Terrashield, please call me in the summer, or if you are going anywhere exotic on holiday if you would like this
Ants, caterpillars and plant lice - peppermint (for ants add a line to window and door seals).
Aphids - peppermint, Sandalwood and white fir.
Beatles – peppermint and time.
Chiggers - lavender, lemon grass and thyme.
Cutworm – thyme.
Fleas – lavender, lemongrass and peppermint.
Flies – basil, cloves, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint and rosemary.
Gnats - patchouli.
Mosquitos - lavender and lemongrass. Mix with fractionated coconut oil so that it sits on the skin longer. The Terrashield is particularly good for repellent of mosquitoes.
Moths - lavender and peppermint.
Roaches - eucalyptus.
Slugs – white fir.
Just add a couple of drops in a spray bottle and spray away on plants or the ground.
Plant a mini meadow
Not only do they provide a beautiful spectrum of colour from May all the way through to early October, but saying no to the mow and curating your own mini meadow will also help protect species such as skylarks, barn owls, brown hares, butterflies and bumbles bees that all rely on this threatened habitat for survival.
Over the last 50 years, Britain has lost around 98% of its wildflower meadows.
You don’t need acres of land to make your own mini meadow, a small patch of lawn in a sunny spot is all you need to start growing your wildflowers to provide cover and food for some of Britain’s most loved wildlife. Popular wildflowers to sow and grow include cowslip, field poppy, ox-eye daisy, red clover, yellow rattle and for a longer flowering season we also recommend adding in some spiny restharrow, betony and field scabious.
Support charities
Supporting wildlife charities can help you conserve and protect plants beyond your own back garden and getting involved with organisations has never been easier. Whether it’s donating your time or your pennies, there are plenty of ways to help support wildlife in our local area. Charities such as The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), The wildfowl and wetlands Trust (WWT), Marine conservation society, Butterfly conservation, Tiggywinkles and bumblebee conservation trust.
Stay on the path
While nothing beats a long walk in the wilderness, sticking to the designated paths on nature trails can help protect precious plant life. You may not think that straying away from the path could do much harm, but the truth is, organisations such as the National Trust construct and maintain specific footpaths to minimise damage to the environment. Repeated disturbance of the ground can cause saplings, animal habitat and fragile soils to become damaged beyond recovery whilst organic matter, such as fallen leaves and bark, play a vital role in protecting the soil from erosion.
There’s still so much to experience and enjoy on nature walks but by staying on the path, we can avoid damaging our precious plant life and preserving the beautiful British countryside for future generations.