The Reasons Why
There are two men in California who covertly place bumper stickers reading "I'M CHANGING THE CLIMATE -- Ask Me How!" on large, late model pollution-belching SUVs. While I applaud their message (heck, I'm a Mustang-driving girl, myself), I'm not so sure about their methods. I prefer using the guilt trip.So, please return your tray tables to their upright positions and fasten your seat belts. Close your eyes and imagine...imagine your toddler or puppy rolling happily in (or even munching on) the thick, green, weed-free grass of your front lawn. Imagine picking and eating a plump, scarlet tomato right off the vine, with the juice running down your chin. Imagine the pleasures of a tall, cool tumbler of iced tea with a sprig of freshly cut spearmint jutting from the glass.
Then ask yourself this: Would you enjoy any of those situations if you knew that noxious, deadly chemicals had been used on the plants in each scenario?
As poisons trickle into our water supplies, as the soil erodes until it is unusable, as the air is filled with more pollutants, as birds and beneficial insects are wiped out due to human carelessness and lack of adequate legislation, the need for organic gardening methods is clear. We must replace what we take from the environment, and restore natures balance the best way possible - with natural products.
Simply put, organic gardening is one of the ways you can practice doing the right thing. We could all use a little more of that these days.
If you are presently a gardener, you don't have to convert to organic methods overnight. It is a learning process. Sometimes it can be confusing. A good deal of patience is also helpful. But the rewards and feelings of accomplishment you will personally gain will only be outdone by the gifts you will be providing to our precious planet.
If nothing else, you'll be in good company by converting to organics. In the last decade, organic practices have expanded dramatically. People are wearing clothing made with organically grown materials, using natural cosmetics, feeding their pets holistically. Utilizing natural products becomes a way of life -- a belief, if you will -- and a commitment.
What Does "Organic" Mean, Exactly?
So what exactly does "organic" mean and how does it apply to gardening?
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