Sustainability – Why Bother?
I think by now it’s only a few ‘stick your head in the sand’ people who don’t accept
that climate change is happening. There are perhaps a few more doubters as to the
cause, whether it’s natural or man-made. Then of course, if you do believe humans
are to blame there’s the problem of what we as individuals can do about it. For
example is there any point in us changing our light bulbs when China is building
on average two coal-fired power stations each week!
To be sustainable means to use resources that meet our needs but without damaging
the environment. For garden designers that translates to using materials whose production
does not destroy natural habitat and will cause minimal pollution during their transportation
or end use along with reusing materials already on site. Sounds great, but it can
be a bit of a minefield. Which is best - cement-based paving produced locally or
natural sandstone transported all the way from India? The following are some suggestions
for at least moving in the right direction:
- Cut down on cement use by replacing cemented walls with alternatives such as dry-stone
or rammed earth walls, turf banks or gabions filled with recycled materials (could
include old bricks from existing site).
- Use products that don’t need cement footings such as living willow.
- Replace gravel with bark chippings, shells or recycled products such as glass and
rubber.
- Always use wood from sustainable sources - even with FSC approval it is best not
to use tropical hardwoods (think of the transportation).
- Buy local – don’t use products that are transported long distances including items
such as containers, compost and mulch.
- Try to reuse resources from the existing site - old paving could be used to construct
a new soakaway, turf could be stacked to make loam etc.
- Use locally reclaimed products such as timber – and this can be tropical hardwood.
- Purchase plants grown locally – they will grow away more successfully than many
grown and imported from warmer climates such as Italy and France.
- Consider the possibility of raising the canopy of mature planting instead of removing
and starting again.
- Use low-tech solutions and materials.
- Design to minimise new construction.
- Consider rainwater harvesting.
- Consider green roofs (for buildings such as sheds and outdoor rooms) and green walls
(especially suitable for large-scale buildings).
- Choose local contractors who are interested and willing to work with sustainable
criteria.
But is any of this enough? Particularly since the rise of tv gardening programmes
our private plots have turned into fashion statements with designers picking up
on the latest trends no matter what they might be. Some experts feel we will have
to rethink our whole attitude to gardens. According to Mark Laurence, one of the
country’s foremost experts in sustainable design, we will soon be forced into making
huge changes in the way we live our lives. We have already passed the peak of oil
production and are poised on the edge of the downward slope. Within the next decade
he believes modern intensive agriculture will be unable to cope with the pressures
of demand and our back gardens will have to change from simply being a place that
is visually pleasing to one that produces our food. If Mark is right we cannot afford
to just sit back and take the ‘why bother’ attitude?
Many clients will not have considered how sustainable their new garden might be
and it is up to the designer to gently educate (not preach). Designers need to be
prepared with solutions that may not previously have been considered by the client,
for example designing a fire pit to sit around in the evening (perhaps burning locally
produced charcoal) instead of using a gas-guzzling patio heater. Some clients may
not particularly care about sustainability, but if designers can create gardens
that fit the brief and the budget and just happen to have at least some elements
of sustainable design within them, that has to be better than nothing. As it is
the client’s garden (and money) it will be up to them if they wish to follow the
sustainable route. If they still insist on concrete paving, patio heaters and hardwood
decking then unfortunately there is little the designer can do except look to the
next project to make a difference.
For more information see
www.marklaurence.com and SGD members can find further advice on the Society’s
Members’ Page.
© Sharon
Brown 13th March 2009