AS Spring advances many people will be heading for garden centres to buy supplies.

Could I just remind folk to avoid buying two things if at all possible.

The first is any compost containing peat. Stripping the peat damages moors and whenever any turns to dust it puts large quantities of previously stored carbon into the atmosphere. Peat free compost does the job just as well and uses recycled organic matter.

The other thing to avoid is any weedkillers containing glyphosate such as Roundup. In the United States a court case awarded $10.9 billion in damages to cancer patients who had used the products. Ten billion dollars aren’t awarded lightly. Glyphosate also causes damage to pollinating insects such as bees.

I have tried to persuade Craven District Council to stop using Glyphosate. It is rather easier for anyone with their own garden to avoid them!

Cllr Andy Brown

Green Party

Cononley