How does landscaping harm the planet?
One problem with landscaping is that often native plants are replaced with non-native species. This impacts the environment in many ways. Planting a non-native species is like putting it in a hostile environment because it has not evolved to co-exist with the insects and native plants of the area. Also, you must meet the alien plant’s requirements for water and nutrients, which may differ from those found in the planting area. So, in order to keep your alien plant alive in its new environment, you may have to water it, amend the soil to add nutrients and apply pesticides and herbicides to keep the local flora and fauna at bay. On a small scale, the impact on the environment is minimal; however, the impact increases as more and more of the world is landscaped. Many landscapers understand these problems and use native species and/or plants that live in similar areas when planting and use organic methods of controlling pests and add nutrients.
