Peat free please

I was watching the One Show today and it had an interesting piece on peat used for compost.  Peat bog is a fragile and precious ecosystem.  It takes many hundreds of year to form and is made of layers and layers of vegetation preserved in an wet, acidic environment. 

Archaeologists learn a lot about past climates and vegetation from peat bogs  They can take core samples that reach back many hundreds of years and look at the vegetation, insects and pollen that was around at the time giving an indication of climate and agricultural use.  Many important archaological finds are discovered in peat bogs ranging from preserved bodies to causeways and offerings.

This precious peat is dug up and used in our grow bags and compost.  It isn't replaced, nor can it be.  Only nature can create peat.  You can now easily buy peat-free compost, which is something I make sure I do.  If we all made the effort to buy peat-free we could make a real difference as shops aren't going to stock what they can't sell.