In January, I noted the end of peat harvesting in Ireland.
What is the official solution to the needs of the horticulture industry going forward? Nothing but a word salad of deferral and delay in the hope that the problem disappears off the radar.
From the article in the Irish Independent linked to above:
“With boatloads of peat imports now arriving in Ireland – the first shipment from Scotland arrived this week – representatives said they will be forced to rely on peat alternatives from the Baltic States, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the UK over the coming months as there is no viable peat alternative in Ireland.”
So, in order to reduce Ireland’s carbon footprint, we stop the harvesting of a product in Ireland, in order to import the same product from elsewhere in the world, thereby increasing the global carbon footprint due to transport of the material to Ireland.
The English used to say (and be castigated for it) that the Irish were stupid. I think they had a point.