EOT – Green Thumb – Tangalooma EcoMarines

Green Thumb

What You Need to Know!

Gardening is a super fun activity to do with your school, friends, family and community. There are also many environmental benefits of gardening and composting.

Plants produce oxygen which help clean the air and ground of pollution. So the more plants you grow, the more you are helping regulate our air.
Growing trees and shrubs helps cool our outdoor areas as well by providing shady areas which are beneficial for many animals as well.
Growing your own food in gardens reduces the earth’s carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is the carbon (which can be a harmful gas) released into the air because of energy that we use. For example, buying food uses a car to get to the grocery store, a factory to process groceries, plastic pollution for packaging and more!
Gardens support our native insects, birds and other wildlife that are so important for the ecosystem.

Have a look below for the different types of gardens, composting and worm farms!

Gardens, Composting & Worm Farms

Food Gardens

You can grow your own food in a big or small garden! The easiest things to start off your garden are herbs like basil or parsley. You can then move on to vegetables, flowers or fruit!

Native Garden

Native plants are very important to provide suitable habitat for our wildlife. Native means that it is found in Australia - not a weed. Some native plants include kangaroo paw and lomandra grass. You can even grow edible natives (bush tucker) such as tucker bush cherry!

Composting

Composting is a way to reduce your organic food waste and create nutrient rich soil. You can buy or make a composting system and all it needs is a bit of soil matter to start off with, food waste and heat! Over time, food will decay and break down to make healthy soil!

Worm Farms

Worms are amazing! They can also be used to break down food waste. Worms in a worm farm system will eat food waste and then produce worm castings which is rich plant food and worm tea which is a liquid fertilizer. Worms are super heroes too!

Gardens, Composting & Worm Farms

Food Gardens

You can grow your own food in a big or small garden! The easiest things to start off your garden are herbs like basil or parsley. You can then move on to vegetables, flowers or fruit!

Native Garden

Native plants are very important to provide suitable habitat for our wildlife. Native means that it is found in Australia - not a weed. Some native plants include kangaroo paw and lomandra grass. You can even grow edible natives (bush tucker) such as tucker bush cherry!

Composting

Composting is a way to reduce your organic food waste and create nutrient rich soil. You can buy or make a composting system and all it needs is a bit of soil matter to start off with, food waste and heat! Over time, food will decay and break down to make healthy soil!

Worm Farms

Worms are amazing! They can also be used to break down food waste. Worms in a worm farm system will eat food waste and then produce worm castings which is rich plant food and worm tea which is a liquid fertilizer. Worms are super heroes too!

Facts!

It is not all doom and gloom though, have a look at these good news stories about litter below. If we start tackling the issue now, we can always see positive outcomes!

Many Australians are getting their green thumb on! In fact, over 52% of households are growing some type of garden!

Kids are leading the gardening game! Did you know, over 61% of food gardens in Australian houses are grown by kids 11 years or younger… true EcoMarines Heroes!

Download: How to Propagate Plants Guide

Hero Mission!

Your Hero Mission is to take a photo of your favourite plant! Tell us what the plant is and why you love it! Answer the questions below! Awesome, you can go to the Water level!

Green Thumb

What You Need to Know!

Gardens, Composting & Worm Farms

Food Gardens

Native Garden

Composting

Worm Farms