ABC's Green Garden Practices and Community Outreach Programs

摘要

The American Botanical Council's (ABC) 2.5-acre herbal oasis, hidden in what some might consider an atypical urban area of Austin, Texas, contains 30 gardens that beautify the landscape and provide educational benefits to the public and others. But are ABC's gardens "green"? Holly Ferguson, ABC's education coordinator, says "Absolutely." Although some may assume that all gardens contribute to a healthy environment, as the plants grown in gardens pull harmful carbon dioxide (CO_2) from the atmosphereduring photosynthesis, this is not necessarily true in all cases. The amount of energy used to construct and maintain some gardens can actually generate large levels of CO_2 emissions, such as those produced through the use of gas-powered gardening equipment, water irrigation, and pesticides, fungicides, artificial fertilizers, and other agricultural chemicals.