The Earthscan Action Handbook for People and Planet by Miles Litvinoff

Author:Miles Litvinoff [Litvinoff, Miles]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science, General, Political Ideologies
ISBN: 9781134060504
Google: kTYAAgAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 18973046
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 1990-11-01T00:00:00+00:00

Food choices

Eat less beef. Central America’s tropical forest is being destroyed to provide soya feed for European cattle, and beef production everywhere is a threat to soils. More vegetarianism means increased food self-sufficiency in the North, allowing people in the South use of their better land to grow food for home consumption, avoiding the damage to soils caused by cash cropping and marginal land use. Eat organic produce and reject chemical fertilizers for gardening or food growing. A steady build-up in the organic movement is essential to save the planet’s soils. (There is more on vegetarianism, organic food and organic gardening and farming in the “Getting Involved” section in Chapter 1.)

Recycling paper and card

Recycling paper and packaging materials won’t do much to help save the rainforests – because softwood conifers grown on Northern plantations, not hardwoods, are used for card-and papermaking. However, paper and card recycling is important for water conservation and energy saving (see Chapters 7 and 8) and means that less land has to be planted with conifers (which may destroy natural habitats, as in parts of the UK; see Chapter 9).

Plant trees

More trees are needed everywhere. The industrialized countries lose traditional woodland through development and neglect, and their soils are being eroded. Plant trees in your garden, at your local school, community or social centre, on farmland and patches of waste ground. Encourage others to do the same. Trees make good birthday presents. Plant mixed native species, and in suitable places; young trees need care and protection (such as weed clearance and dry-weather watering) to help them survive. If you need advice on tree planting and tree care, ask at a reliable garden centre or, in the UK, try:

Common Ground, 45 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9HJ (071–379 3109).

The Dendrologist, PO Box 341, Chesham, Bucks HP5 2RD.

Men of the Trees, Crawley Down, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 4HL (0342–712536).

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