saysJimMurphy.I’dhavetoagree.MurphylivesinKilkishen,Ireland.Heburnsturfasfueltoheathis home.

What’sturf?Turfisamaterialmadeupofdecayingplants.Itisalsocalledpeat.InIreland,peatcomesfromraisedorblanketbogs.Thesecover20 percentofthecountry.I’mEmilyToner,asoilgeographer.Istudy bogs.

Abogisawetlandmadefromwaterandplants.Ahealthybogaddsonemeterofsoileveryone thousandyears.Itisarichandacidic soil.

Walkingonabogfeelslike“walkingonwater.”That’sbecausebogsholdwater.Sphagnummossinbogsholdsupto20 timesitsweightin water.

Bogsholdmorethanjustplantsandwater.Theyalsoabsorbcarbondioxidefromtheair.Thisreducesthegreenhouseeffecton Earth.

How?Carbondioxidetrapsheat.ToomuchofthisgreenhousegascancauseEarth’stemperaturesto rise.

Bogstrapcarbonandkeepitinplace.ThathelpskeepEarth’stemperaturessteady.That’swhywetlandsarecalledcarbonsinks. Theystoretwicethecarbonthat’sheldin forests.

Throughouthistory,peopleinIrelandhavereliedonbogsforsurvival.Wildberriesandotherplantscanprovidefood.Sphagnummosswasonceusedtomakebandagesforwounds.Andpeatcutintobrickstoburnasfuelisstillawidelyused resource.

Sadly,mostofIreland’sbogshaveshrunk.Peopledrainthelandanduseitforotherpurposes,suchas farming.