Many homeowners are constantly on the lookout for ways to make their homes more environmentally friendly.
Such a pursuit is both noble because it helps the environment and practical because it often saves money.
While there are many eco-friendly improvements homeowners make inside their homes, it’s important to note that there are several ways for men and women to be more environmentally conscious outside of their homes as well.
Lawn care can be done in a way that’s conscious of the environment, and the results can be just as appealing as if the lawn were tended to without regard for the planet.
The following are just a few of the many ways homeowners can adopt more eco-friendly practices when tending to their lawns.
l Be conscientious when watering. Overwatering a lawn is pretty common, especially during the dog days of summer, when homeowners try to overcompensate for hot days with excessive watering. The growth of moss on sidewalks or the driveway is a telltale sign that you’re watering too much, as is a standing pool of water on the grass. Homeowners who find it difficult to determine when their lawns have gotten enough water can purchase an intelligent irrigation control system that adapts your watering to a lawn’s needs as well as the weather.
l Turn back the clock on your tools. Before gas mowers became the standard, man-powered push mowers were used to cut the grass. Such mowers still exist, and they require no fuel, making them a more eco-friendly option than their gas-powered counterparts.
Along those same lines, leaf blowers are a far less friendly way to rake leaves in the fall or clean the yard after a long winter. While there’s no denying their effectiveness, leaf blowers need gas to operate, while a rake just requires some elbow grease and a little extra time out in the yard.
l Stay local. If you need to plant new grass or you’re beginning a garden, then stick with local plants, flowers and grasses rather than more exotic options that are not native to your area. Plants, flowers and grasses that aren’t native to your region will require more maintenance and often more watering. That added maintenance might prove to be a headache, and that excessive watering will not be beneficial to the environment. Native plants, flowers and grasses have already adapted to your climate, and they can be provide just as much aesthetic appeal as more exotic alternatives.
l Avoid pesticides whenever possible. Many homeowners treat their lawns with pesticides, which can make a lawn look beautiful. But that beauty typically comes at a steep price, impacting local wildlife and perhaps even the local water supply. When pesticides are applied to a lawn, the chemicals within may run off into your local water supply. If you can’t avoid pesticides entirely, then do your best to minimize how often you use them.
l Don’t let rain water go to waste. Rain barrels are a great way to make good use of rain. Rain barrels can be placed beneath a gutter’s downspout, where they will collect water that can be reused throughout your property to water the lawn and garden.
Rain barrels can be relatively expensive, but over time they will pay for themselves as you save money on your water bill.
Lawn care can be conducted in a way that benefits the environment as well as your bottom line.