How To Make Your Backyard Eco-Friendly: Quick and Easy Ideas
Reducing your impact on the environment is easily started in your own backyard. You can follow a few simple tips to make eco-friendly changes to your yard to reduce your home’s carbon footprint. Being environmentally responsible does not mean you have to sacrifice beauty or function in your backyard.
Lawn Care Ideas:
Use a manual mower instead of a gas or battery operated lawn mower. A gas operated lawn mower uses the equivalent amount of energy that driving 100 miles in a vehicle produces. A manual lawn mower results in no added emissions to the air and offers the additional incentive of exercise.
Eliminate the use of pesticides in your yard. Use compost or pest resistant plants in your yard to keep your yard beautiful and safe for children and pets.
Buy low maintenance plants that are able to flourish and survive with minimal water and care.
Lower your water usage by only watering your grass in the early morning or late evening hours. Watering grass during the heat of the day results in the use of more water and is less effective.
Invest in artificial turf. Your backyard will look green and lush all year long with artificial grass. Artificial grass is comprised of 100 percent recycled materials and requires no maintenance. The addition of turf to your backyard eliminates the need for mowing, watering and pesticides.
Barbecue Grill:
Increase your backyards eco-friendly factor with a solar powered barbecue grill. Using charcoal grills adds contaminants to the air that will harm animals and people. The use of a solar grill is an easy choice to make, and requires no needed charcoal or gas to use the grill. Solar is a naturally renewable resource that will not disappear.
While you’re busy grilling, make sure you say “no” to paper. Paper plates — or worse, non-recyclable Styrofoam — are wasteful and damaging to the environment. Instead, invest in a set of non-breakable but casual dinnerware made of melamine or Vitrelle®.
Backyard Lighting:
Replacing outdoor lights with solar powered lights offers an easy and attractive way to reduce your carbon footprint. The sun charges your lighting charges all day. Solar power lights will automatically turn on at sunset providing you with beautiful and environmentally friendly outdoor lighting.
Water Fountain:
The addition of a gorgeous water fountain in your yard adds ambiance and a focal point. Invest in a beautiful solar powered fountain. The investment of a solar powered water fountain will allow you to add charm to your yard without the worry of huge water bills or environmental impact. A water fountain will attract birds. This offers you a tranquil sight as you sit, and enjoy your eco-friendly yard.
Lawn Furniture:
Lower your carbon footprint by purchasing eco-friendly lawn furniture. Look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) seal on any lawn furniture you are considering. This seal offers the guarantee that the furniture is eco-friendly and durable. There is an array of beautiful options in FSC furniture to suit any taste and budget.
The preceding five tips will help you upgrade your backyard into an eco-friendly haven that you can enjoy for many years to come.
About the Author:
Jon Engle writes regularly on green and home living tips. For those looking for green-friendly home living choices check out the Lyon Communities. Click here to learn more.
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Having your lawn properly maintained will not just give you a cosmetic benefit but greener and healthier environment as well. Thanks for this!