Firstly we should adapt our own lifestyles in order to reduce to a minimum our personal contribution to the problem. If we have access to some land, even if it is just a small backyard, then we can each make some very positive contributions towards improving the quality of life on this planet. By giving up artificial fertilisers and sprays, using composts and biological methods instead, we will help to create a cleaner mini-environment for ourselves and the other creatures who share our garden. If we can then create habitats for these other creatures we can gradually build up a natural balance of predators to keep the garden pests under control, thus reducing our need to use even organic sprays on our plants. Of course, trees take up a lot of space but there are many quite small trees suitable for very small gardens.
Trees provide habitats for insects, birds and mammals.
Their roots go deep into the earth bringing up nutrients and water that would otherwise be lost from the garden. Their dead leaves can be turned into leaf mould which is an excellent soil conditioner, trees extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, converting it into wood and giving out oxygen, thus helping to counter global warming. Trees can provide us with fruits, nuts, edible leaves and many other products and trees look so beautiful. Our leaflet Edible Trees and Shrubs gives a list of several hundred species. A pond can really enhance a garden - it can also provide a home for frogs and toads who will then more than pay their rent by eating many of the slugs in the garden.