In our 2021 sustainability report, we dedicate a part to peat, growing media and sustainability.
Demand for growing media worldwide increased significantly during Covid-19, as people spent more time at home and in their gardens. The effects of the pandemic, where people re-discovered the value of nature in their gardens is expected to continue in the coming decades as the world becomes more affluent and people seek a more balanced lifestyle.
Meanwhile, global population growth and the move towards a healthier diet are contributing to increased demand for high-quality food crops.
As this demand for fresh, local food increases, growing media will become an even more important part of the farming systems necessary to grow these extra crops while minimizing the amount of additional land needed.
These trends are predicted to increase demand for growing media by up to 400% by 2050 compared to 2017 levels. Growing media can contribute to a more sustainable production of vegetables and ornamentals as well as to public health and quality of life.*
* Source: Blok, C., Eveleens, B. and van Winkel, A. (2021 Growing media for food and quality of life in the period 2020-2050. Acta horticulturae.
Whether peat should be used in growing media is an emotive topic, with many strong opinions on both sides of the argument. Unfortunately those arguments are often based on opinions rather than facts.
That’s why we summarized some facts and figures into an infographic, now available for you to download by clicking on the above picture. In this infographic, we share some facts about peatland use and Peat C02 emissions, why peat is used commonly in growing media, and how we as Jiffy, try to minimize the environmental impact of our peat harvesting.
Want to read more? Find the full sustainability report by following this link.
