Even as the green movement has become a popular trend among the general public, it’s much more than just a fad. While born from increased environmental awareness, today’s green movement has attracted participants drawn to the dual opportunities of increased efficiency and cash savings. Adapting your daily routine to “go green” can yield a wealth of benefits, and many individuals are eager to the different, offbeat ways green techniques can improve their quality of life.
But those benefits aren’t restricted to your home’s interior. Though it’s plenty green to begin with, there are a number of things you can do to bolster the eco-friendly profile of your home’s backyard. Read on for some innovative tips that can help you create a more efficient private space.
Composting
Composting is a great way to collect organic waste — including food waste and yard waste — and returning the nutrients in those materials back to your lawn and/or garden.
By setting up a composting bin and allowing your waste to break down on its own, you can cut down on the amount of waste you throw away and repurpose its nutrients to benefit your own backyard. That keeps your soil rich in nutrients and lessens your need of chemical products to bolster the life and vitality of your garden.
Repurpose wood to create your own mulch
You can buy mulch at a lawn & garden store and use it among your landscaping, but that mulch can be problematic, featuring wood, chemicals and other elements that aren’t already found in your backyard. A much simpler and safer alternative is making your own mulch from the wood available on your land. You can use a chipper to create mulch from twigs, branches and other wood collected on your property over time. The nutrients found in that mulch can then be returned to the land where it can encourage the growth of your remaining plants.
Organic lawn products
Many people apply certain products to their lawn in hopes of supporting its growth and vitality. Some of the chemicals used can be harsh and even detrimental to the long-term health of your lawn and soil. If you use these products or services, make sure you use organic products that don’t pose a safety threat to the ground. You might even see a positive response from your lawn, which is more likely to benefit from organic materials that can be more readily used.
Using rainwater to hydrate your plants
Instead of using water straight from an outdoor faucet, consider using rain bins to collect rainwater for later use. By positioning your rain bins or barrels at the end of your home’s drainage system, you can funnel large amounts of water into storage and use your supply as needed. This will save money on your own water consumption and give you natural rainwater to nourish your lawn and garden with. You might not always have and endless supply of water on your hands, but this simple rain bin solution will serve as an excellent supplement to the water used from your home’s plumbing. And in many cases, it isn’t hard to make your rain bins serve as a great visual complement to your yard.
You may not choose to implement all of these changes into your backyard, but as you understand their function — and the potential benefits — it might be hard to resist at least trying these approaches. Adjusting to new routines and ways of life often sound tougher than they actually are. If you’re committed to going green and enhancing your backyard, you’ll find a sustainable lifestyle is closer than you think.
