I know, somedays its seems we can't do anything without screwing up
one habitat or another, but I think we'd all be surprised at the
amount of moss harvested. I don't know what an "inactive" bog is,
except to think of it as something similar to peat deposits. You know
the story on how bogs are formed, no need to repeat that here, so what
do you think "inactive" means.

I take the question back, its not Friday anymore :)

I have heard that in New Zealand there is a company that claims to
practice sustainable moss harvesting. Also, some folk propose coir as
a sustainable substitute.

But as I am such a misanthrope, I have another answer... let these
hominids have their day, after they screw things up and then become
extinct, the earth can get back to business :)

alistair

On 29-Jan-11, at 5:41 AM, mcneely4@COX.NET wrote:

> Hi Allistair, thanks for mentioning this.  I have thought about it.
> The moss is a major commodity used in horticulture and gardening,
> and by florists, and I've seen some discussion in conservation
> minded publications of bog damage.  Seems there is an environmental
> loss in everything we do.  I really don't know the environmental
> trade-offs between using the moss, or using something from a
> factory.  The stuff I use comes from a local gardening store and is
> marketed as an "organic" soil amendment.  I know that it is used in
> waterless toilets installed in locales where sewage facilities don't
> exist, but have not looked into buying from suppliers to waterless
> toilet users, as I use such a little amount.
>
> Definitely something to think about, but right now I don't know how
> to get the data to know how much destruction is wrought by my way in
> comparison to the chemical way.  Is there a source for sphagnum that
> is bog friendly?  I think I read in a Sierra Club publication that
> there are mines that extract the material only from inactive bogs.
> But, how could one find out, and thus "be careful"?  Thanks again,
> mcneel