Link for 1 : What is ethical gardening?

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Nowadays, when the world is experiencing many climate issues caused by pollution,
people are starting to realize that there is a need for profound changes in our
lifestyles. Gardening is the type of gardening where only sustainable and
environmentally friendly maintenance, planting and harvesting methods are used.
That can be achieved by minimizing our intervention in the natural plant growth
process. Every gardener uses at least some chemicals to avoid weeds and insects
because they minimize the yield. Of course, there is no sense in keeping a garden if
you can’t grow anything in it, but instead of using chemicals, it is possible to use
organic weed and pest control methods. As mentioned before, everything grows by
itself in the wild, even if weeds and insects are present. That is because everything is
in balance in nature, and weeds and insects have natural enemies to keep their
population to a minimum. And you can use them to fight against unwanted guests in
your garden. For example, ladybugs eat aphids, so if you have a problem with
aphids, you can bring some ladybugs into your garden. Also, you can build a bird or
bat cage near your garden because they eat all kinds of insects and will help you
combat the pests in your garden, too. You can fight against weeds in organic ways.
For example, smother them with leaves or find bugs that eat only the specific weeds
and bring them into your garden.

One of the most common methods of ethical gardening is composting. Composting

means all garden waste is used for fertilization or other gardening processes. By
composting, less material is going to landfills, and compost is an excellent garden
fertilizer, so you will kill two birds with one stone, be more mindful towards the
environment, and help your garden produce bigger yields. There are many
composting methods out there. For example, you can just cover your garden with
leaves for the winter and let them naturally decompose, or you can create specific
compost bins for types of fertilizers. Either way, composting will only do good for your
garden because all composts contain valuable organic compounds that promote
plant growth. And you won’t need to use store-bought minerals to pollute your garden
with unnecessary chemicals.

Link for 2: Ethical Gardening – UrbanMali

1. Put back more than you take out - Mulch

In any garden, it's essential to refrain from exploiting the soil and to do your best to
replenish any nutrients taken out by crops you may have planted. To build up the soil
quality, re-incorporate organic matter that may be lying around from previous
crops/plants.

2. Be aware of your carbon footprint

Always be conscious of what you're bringing into your garden. For example, many
garden centers sell plants in black plastic pots. Black plastic is UN-recyclable -
making it incredibly bad for the environment. As a result, try to avoid bringing plastic
packaging home from the garden centre and avoid buying plastic-based products.
For example, buy galvanized metal or terracotta instead of purchasing plastic pots for
plants. Even if your terracotta pots crack or break down, the fragments are perfect for
drainage at the bottom of pots or can even be scattered to prevent slugs and snails
from attacking your borders. Also, be careful with the chemicals you might use in the
garden.
Using natural methods against pests, such as a garlic solution for lily beetles, putting
bark down for slugs and peppermint for ants, are all small steps in controlling
irritating creatures in the garden.

3. Provide habitats and food for wildlife

Native plants are beautiful and perfect for pollinators and are likely to increase the
biodiversity found in your garden. Buy a mix of pretty flowers catering to pollinators
and your tastes. Try to leave an area of your garden to its own devices, too. Let the
weeds take over.

4. Recycle and Reuse

Water sustainability is exceptionally significant right now. Install water tubs to prevent
filling up watering cans and getting the hose out. Compost bins are perfect, too. Buy
a compost bin, fill it full of cuttings, leaves, fruit peelings, etc., and use it to improve
the soil structure and content.

Link for 3:Ethical Gardening - Time & Leisure (timeandleisure.co.uk)

PLASTIC-FREE

Plastic-free living isn’t just about swapping the carrier bag for a canvas tote.
Introduce a plastic-free ethos to your garden by switching to biodegradable plant
pots. A staggering half a billion plastic plant pots end up in landfills yearly, so go for
the pots made from materials like coconut husk or wood chip instead. These
materials can all be added to the compost when they’re no longer needed. Take
inspiration from your home, and instead of chucking those hard-to-recycle products,
give a container another life and reuse it as a crafty new plant pot. Plastic bottles can
also make for a fun hanging planter. Just fill it with compost, plant seedlings and
hang it from a tree or pergola. When you do use plastic, avoid dumping products in
landfill and find out if your local garden centre has a recycling scheme. Read up on
companies like Terra Cycle, who take in all your unwanted plastic and repurpose it.

GROW YOUR OWN

Growing your fruit and vegetables is another fantastic way to be environmentally

conscious, all the while improving your diet at the same time. Introduce pallets and
hanging baskets to your garden if you’re short on space, and if your garden is more
spacious, think about devoting a section of it to growing things like tomatoes,
potatoes, courgettes, broccoli and beans. Herbs are also straightforward to grow at
home – they like the sun, and you can experiment with everything from oregano and
sage to rosemary and dill. Given the push for a more mindful population who
priorities well being, growing your own is also a great way to get outdoors and
harness the therapeutic properties of green garden space.

ENCOURAGING WILDLIFE

Tempting wildlife into your garden is far easier than you may initially think, and doing
little things here and there can help provide habitats and food for wildlife that need
that extra boost. Think about erecting a bird feeder in your garden so smaller birds
like blue tits, robins and sparrows can fight for food without being pipped to the post
by greedy squirrels. If your garden is getting a re-design this year, think about
planting wildflowers and nectar-rich plants like lavender and nepenthe to encourage
pollinators like bees to your garden. Another way to encourage wildlife is to allow for
a healthy garden mess. It means some twiggy debris or piles of leaves which make
suitable habitats and provide food. Finally, consider installing a pond in the new year
(although you’ll need a safety cover if you have young children). Ideally, your pond
will have shallow edges, allowing for easy access for frogs and newts, ultimately
increasing biodiversity and adding to your local habitat.

What is the goal of this task?

Understand the ethics of gardening.

Environment and nature

Prompt based on text

Help me to learn about gardening ethics.

Model response

Pollution is a significant cause of climate change in our world, and people are
becoming aware of the issue and changing their lifestyles accordingly ((1)). In this
perspective, people are changing the practices of gardening((1)). These methods
include organic weed and pest control. Using organic materials instead of chemicals,
as they harm insects that are suitable for gardens and helps fight against weeds
organically ((1)).
Exploiting soil is an essential factor for better nutrients taken out from the plants((2)).
During gardening, we must be aware of the carbon footprint we are leaving behind. It
includes replacing UN-recyclable goods like black plastic bottles that cause harmful
environmental effects instead of plastic bottles for plant's use of metal bottles ((2)).
Using garden waste as a fertilizer is also a best practice for ethical gardening. It is
not only a best practice to be mindful of the environment but also help in gardening
with more production, like using leaves during winter to cover the garden for
decomposition ((1)).
Use plastic-free material, such as biodegradable plant pots. If one uses plastic pots,
try dumping products and look for recycling schemes((3)). Also, garlic solution can
used to fight against pests((2)). Always try to recycle and reuse water and use water
cans instead of hoses ((2)).
Always try to grow your fruit and vegetables in an environmentally conscious way.
These include tomatoes, potatoes and beans, which will also act as a therapeutic
green gardening ((3)). While gardening, one should encourage wildlife by doing little
things like installing a bird feeder for birds and a pond for frogs and newts ((3)).