Green living is more than just using clean energy sources. From plants to compost to watering, this article looks at landscaping tips that keep your property environmentally responsible and looking fabulous. Thinking about acting on the new solar tax credits and reducing your investment costs by up to 30%? Talk with a Panasonic solar installer today and find out how much you can save.
Whether you’re beautifying a rental property or just improving your own front yard, landscaping has the power to completely change the look of your house and yard. Unfortunately, it also has the potential to disrupt local ecosystems – at least to a degree.
If you want to minimize your environmental impact while maximizing the function and image of your landscape, there are some important strategies you’ll need to follow.
The Many Benefits of Eco-Friendly Landscaping
You’re probably reading this article because you’re genuinely interested in making a difference when it comes to environmental impact. That’s great, but you should also know there are secondary benefits to practicing eco-friendly landscaping.
As you’ll see, many of these strategies and habits allow you to reduce your reliance on energy and water, ultimately saving you money in the long run and potentially saving you time as well.
Hire the Right People
Your first responsibility will be hiring the right people. If you work with the right landscapers, who are familiar with sustainable landscaping practices, you’ll have an easy way to get recommendations for the best eco-friendly additions.
On top of that, you’ll have reliable assurance that the job will be done properly. If you work with a property management company, they may be able to recommend an excellent landscaper in the area who can do sustainable work.
As an added bonus, they’ll have professionals supervising the job to make sure it’s done properly – and they may be responsible for maintenance after the work is completed.
Focus on Native Plants
One of the best things you can do for your yard to improve its environmental friendliness is to focus on native species of plants. Native species are ones that have evolved in this specific ecosystem, so they do a much better job of supporting local wildlife.
If you plant native species, you’ll never have to worry about invasive species disrupting the local ecosystem. You might even find medicinal plants growing in your backyard.
As an added bonus, because native plants are specifically acclimated to this location and climate, they generally require less care. These are hardier and less expensive plants, making them advantageous in many ways.
Consider Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping is a type of landscaping with the intention of allowing your plants to survive drought-like conditions. Originally developed for desert areas, anyone can practice this landscaping trend. Why is it considered environmentally friendly? The main reason is because it doesn’t require much water to thrive. And if they need a bit, consider re-routing the drip pipe from your air conditioner water to hydrate your cactuses.
These plants can survive with little to no water, so you won’t need to expend hundreds of gallons to keep them alive. Cutting back on your water usage is a great way to live a more sustainable life.
Mow the Grass Higher (and Leave the Clippings)
Consider mowing your grass higher and more frequently. When you’re done, leave the clippings on the ground rather than harvesting them. Grass clippings contain significant amounts of water, nitrogen, and other nutrients, making them excellent for the health of your yard. This way, you’ll end up using less water and less fertilizer – and your yard will look better as well.
Add Paved Areas
In pursuit of using less water, why not consider paving over certain areas of your yard? Most of us love the appearance of a yard filled with grass, clover, and other sources of greenery, but these can be resource intensive. Add some pavers where the grass can grow through or make an outdoor kitchen to cook while keeping the air conditioner off.
Install Solar Fixtures
Another way to make your yard more eco-friendly is to install certain solar fixtures. If you have the budget for it, you can install solar panels (or install them on the roof) and gain immediate access to a sustainable, clean source of energy.
If that’s not in the cards for you, you can install solar activated lights to illuminate your pathways without needing to expend electricity unnecessarily.
Harvest Rainwater
Assuming you’re permitted to do so in your city, consider using rain barrels to harvest rainwater. This way, you’ll have access to more water without tapping into your utilities. Not only will you be living a more sustainable lifestyle, you’ll also reduce your water bill, ultimately making this a universal win.
Compost
Home composting is highly valuable, both for you and the environment. You’ll get an easy way to get rid of most of your old food scraps, you’ll reduce your footprint in landfills, and you’ll end up with a rich material that you can use to fertilize your soil and grow crops.
Best of all, composting is ridiculously easy once you understand the basic fundamentals – and you can continue practicing it indefinitely.
With these environmentally friendly strategies, you can make sure your landscaping has a minimal impact on the environment without affecting the appearance or resale value of your lot.
Just make sure you work actively to maintain it so it remains as beautiful as the day you finished it.
This article was written by Bhok Thompson from Green Prophet and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive Content Marketplace. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.
