According to the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), American homeowners consume trillions of gallons of water, hundred-millions of gallons of gas, and millions of pounds of pesticides every year.
These are just some of the many harms that people do to the environment just by their lawns or yards. To start conserving, you can take a look at your own yard and see what you can do. Going environmental can be a long way, but it gets easier from there and you will thank yourself.
Go for Native Plants and Flowers
Native trees, plants, and flowers are beneficial to your local environment. They attract butterflies, birds, and wildlife, which are more suited for your area. These plants are also capable of handling diseases and pests.
Once they’re settled, they don’t require much maintenance since they naturally keep away pests. They don’t need fertilizers, pesticides, or additional watering. The wildlife they attract takes care of the maintenance for you most of the time.
Choose Ground Cover Over Grass
Go for environment-friendly alternatives. Ground cover eliminates the need for mowing and supplemental watering. They also don’t need pesticides or herbicides and are a way better alternative to turf grass. Turf grass doesn’t provide a habitat for pollinators and other species that help create a healthy and diverse ecosystem.
Moss and clover are examples of excellent ground covers, especially in the summer. They feel nice under bare feet as well. They stay green and healthy during drought and smell fresh and sweet. Ground covers like these help you avoid soil compaction.
This also encourages homeowners to mow less since these grass alternatives don’t need it.
Grow Your Own Fruits and Vegetables
When you grow your own food, you contribute to reducing carbon emissions and avoid the wastes that come with buying items in grocery stores. You can also prevent harsh chemicals and fertilizers since they don’t require your fruits and vegetables.
This way, you save money, plus improve your health as well, since you consume naturally grown fruits and vegetables, and gardening is a natural stress reliever.
Consider Eco-responsible Panels
Whether you have a deck platform and/or fences, go for materials that are environmentally responsible. Trex composite fencing uses low-maintenance, recycled materials, which are excellent in design and durability.
Care for the Bugs
Not all bugs are pests. Traditional yard maintenance kills and sends away the humming, buzzing, and crawling insects. Including those that are supposed to be beneficial. Bugs like ladybugs, spiders, and beetles.
Ground beetles eat away unwelcome bugs like slugs, weevils, and nematodes. Learn more about bugs that are good for your yard and which are not.
Start Composting
Composting diminishes the amount of garbage that people produce and also makes a natural fertilizer. You can build a compost pile out in the open or invest in a bin if you worry about aesthetics. You can also always keep them out of sight from the public.
Gather your household waste and mix them in a clean container. This mixture attracts the right kinds of bugs, which then turn into fertilizer around six to nine months. It’s also important to note to not include any animal scraps in your compost bin.
Avoid Harmful Pesticides
We all know that pesticides are not only bad for the environment but for people’s health as well. If you haven’t already, this is the time to start avoiding them. Instead, use alternatives like natural herbicides or attract wildlife that helps in pest control. Praying mantises or lacewings, for example, eat pests away.
If you really need to investigate bugs, you can use oil-based sprays or soaps, which can work as natural insecticides. You can go old fashion and just pull the weeds out manually.
Harvest Rainwater
This is one of the simplest ways to turn green with your house. Harvesting rain and stormwater can be used to water plants and vegetables, reducing the amount of water used in the household.
Rainwater runoffs can bring pesticides and fertilizers into bodies of water through the sewer system, poisoning aquatic animals and the people who swim, surf, and even those who eat seafood.
Turning your backyard into an environmental savior can help a lot. Not only will it contribute to the environment, but your outdoor living will be so much better and more fulfilling. In your upcoming mornings, you will wake up to a bright and clean garden, breathing clean and relaxing air. Having an environmentally friendly and responsible yard will save gallons of water and gas, and avoid pounds of wastes and pesticides.
