Going Green has become a way of life, from organic cotton bags to reusable dry cleaning bags and from making a conscious effort to turn lights off to biking to work instead of driving. However, lawn and garden care seems to be a topic that even environmental enthusiasts seem to be at a loss when it comes to ideas. Electric mower and trimmer sales have boomed since convincing people that they are healthier than gas powered ones. In theory they may seem like a good idea but electricity does often come from coal powered facilities.
Old Fashioned Ways
Reel lawn mowers are the best product you can use for your grass, heath and the environment. They require very little care except for oiling and sharpening the blades a couple times per season. Power mowers tear at your grass while old fashioned push mowers trim it almost like a pair of scissors. Also, long handled blades and sling trimmers make great replacements for the weed wacker.
Rain barrels are a must for going Green. Place them at the side of your home to catch that run off water and use if for gardens and plants.
Composting
Although there are fancy compost bins you can purchase, you really just need some space. Grass trimmings, leaves, food scraps and even paper are able to be composted if you lay it all in a pile. Layer on the dirt over top and as the pile grows, you turn it over with a shovel or a pitchfork, to aerate. Do not add meat though! It will not only attract scavengers but it will smell pretty bad as well. If you want to speed up the composting process, add a few earthworms.
Planting
Carefully selecting beneficial trees and native plants can create Green landscaping and benefit the environment. Planting native plants will conserve water because they will grow naturally in the region that they come from and will require very little extra water. Additionally, they will be resistant to most pests and reduce needs for using pesticides.
If you plant deciduous trees on the West and East sides of your house they will shade your home and keep it cool in the summer and still allow warmth from sunlight in during the winter months when they have no leaves.
Mulching compliments plants by adding texture and a contrast of color and helps the ground to retain moisture. There are varieties of recycled mulch you can find fairly inexpensive at most stores.
Watering System
Hopefully you already have your rain barrel but irrigation controllers and low-volume sprinklers also make quite an impact on water conservation. Many irrigation controllers are designed to adjust the schedule for watering all on its own. Some can manage the water schedule by programming it to communicate with your local weather station.
Using Green landscaping ideas and eliminating the use of powered engines and pesticides is a giant step in the right direction for helping the environment. Planting trees, using reusable grocery bags and even remembering to not leave water running all helps. If every person does their part, the world will have a healthier future!
Eliza Reeder writes articles that deal with environmental concerns and eco-friendly living. She encourages everyone to help protect our planet’s future by doing things like using reusable bags. You can find more eco-friendly living tips on her organic cotton bags site.
Other Composting Resources
- Council drops open space grass-cutting | Munster Express Online
- Leatherman 831207 Style CS Clip-On Multi-Tool with Scissors | America Online Shop
- Compost Bin Designs – Homemade Compost Bins are Easy!
- Lawn Mower Bagger Parts | Lawn Mower Manual Resources
