Guest blog by Nick Peters
This week we would like to share an interesting blog from one of our followers; Nick Peters, a 34-year-old permaculture enthusiast from Elsloo. With his passion for nature and sustainable living, he started to create a beautiful organic garden in his backyard. During this process, he inspires others with his experiences and lifestyle on Instagram by the name unraveled.life.
Last week he shared his vision on climate control, permaculture and food production with us. His goal: to create awareness and offer practical solutions for a more sustainable living environment. “Together we can make the world a bit greener,” he says, a shared objective with Stichting De Groentedeler.
Climate Control, permaculture and food production
In a world where the impact of climate change is becoming increasingly visible, it is essential to think about ways to create a more sustainable future. A green environment is crucial to make a difference. From climate control to permaculture and food production, there are many benefits to a green environment. Let’s see how we can use the green space to our advantage.
Climate control through a green environment
One of the most immediate benefits of a green environment is its impact on our climate. Urban areas, with their concrete and asphalt, can heat up significantly, leading to the so-called urban heat island effect. By integrating green environments in urban areas, such as parks, gardens and green roofs, we can reduce the daily temperatures. A natural effect of plants and trees absorbing CO2, one of the most important greenhouse gasses, and releasing oxygen. In addition, they provide shade and evaporation, which helps to regulate the ambient temperature.
Permaculture: sustainable food production
Permaculture is an agricultural method that mimics natural ecosystems and enables sustainable food production. Instead of intensive, monocultural agriculture, permaculture focuses on diversity and cooperation between plants and animals. This reduces the need for fertilizers and pesticides and improves soil quality in the long term.
By applying permaculture in our gardens and on our farmland, we can not only produce healthier food, but also promote biodiversity and improve soil structure. This helps sequester carbon in the soil, which contributes to the reduction of climate change.
One step further, creating a ‘food forest’
A food forest or forest garden, is a form of permaculture where a diverse ecosystem of edible plants is created. In a food forest, trees, shrubs, herbs and climbing plants work together to form a self-sustaining system. These forests are not only a source of food, but also provide habitat for animals and insects, and help to conserve water and soil.
Food forests can be created on both a large and small scale. From backyards to community urban projects, the possibilities are endless. They offer a sustainable solution for food production and contribute to a greener, healthier living environment.
Green roofs and vertical gardens
In densely populated urban areas, space is often limited. Green roofs and vertical gardens offer innovative solutions to integrate greenery. Green roofs insulate buildings, reducing the need for air conditioning and heating, and contribute to rainwater collection. Vertical gardens can be constructed on building facades and not only improve air quality, but also improve the aesthetic appearance of cities.
Community gardens: working together for a green future
Community gardens bring people together and promote social cohesion. They provide a space where people can grow their own food, share knowledge and work together towards a more sustainable future. These gardens can play an important role in urban environments, where access to green environments are often limited.
Conclusion
Utilizing green environments offers numerous benefits for climate control, sustainable food production and promoting biodiversity. By applying techniques such as permaculture and food forests, and investing in green roofs and vertical gardens, we can make a significant impact on our environment. Let’s work together to make our cities and communities greener, healthier and more resilient. The future is in our hands – and in our green environments.
Create your own green environment!
Are you curious about what you can do to make your environment greener? Or do you want to experience the power of green and sustainable food production yourself? Come and visit us at Zelfoogsttuin Bij Mei!
Here we harvest fresh vegetables every week on Tuesday morning, straight from the field. A vegetable growth that benefits our environment by strengthening the biodiversity, that is good for our volunteers who find peace and connection in the garden and the soil and of course beneficial for the customers of Voedselbank Leiden who receive these vegetables.
