It is all our responsibility to take care of our ecosystem and reduce our carbon footprint to preserve the natural world. Sometimes this can be difficult or a hindrance, but we should aim to do the best we can, when we can. Whether pruning and planting is a new hobby for you, or if you’ve had a green thumb for countless years, here are some great pieces of advice to be more conscious of your impact on the environment when gardening.
Avoid Herbicides And Pesticides
These chemicals are terribly damaging to the environment and local ecosystem. Pesticides not only kill problem creatures, but they can also harm the predators of those pests and more. Try to encourage a healthy and diverse local ecology. Don’t forget that there are so many critters out there that eat the things that eat your plants! Ladybirds for example, will get rid of any aphids that are hurting your crops, and do absolutely no damage to the plants themselves.
Use Sustainably Sourced Materials
When designing your garden, you may way to splash out on some nicely designed furniture, paving, or decking. If you’re planning to build some decking yourself, for example, double check where your materials are from. When hiring professionals to craft and put together your decking, make sure you choose a company that focuses on sustainability when sourcing their materials. There are some very talented businesses out there such as Exterior Solutions that focus on this whilst also using great quality brands like EcoDek.
Compost And Manure
A great way to deal with food waste as well as providing you with a cheap and high-quality solution to providing your garden with nutrients, is to do your own composting. Store bought compost is perfectly fine, however, creating your own can significantly reduce your waste. Also, instead of using manufactured fertilisers, try to use manure from your own livestock, if you have any, or visit a local farm to see if they have any for sale.
Conserve Water
This is one of our most precious resources, and whilst there are many reasons to conserve water, such as reserving local supplies for public services, guarding against rising costs, and even saving money yourself, it’s the negative impact that wasting water has on the environment that should be a concern right now. The energy required to pump and clean your water really adds up. Water is sent all around the country at a near-constant rate, for homes, businesses, farmland, and public services, such as fire brigades. To produce this power, we still burn fossil fuels such as oil and gas, which are unsustainable themselves. Consider using a rainwater barrel to keep your plants watered and for washing down surfaces. If you’re lucky, you may even have a nearby river or other water source that you can collect from.
Support Native Species
Whilst it’s lovely to bring in exotic plants to add a bit of excitement to your garden, you should try to focus on planting native species too. These plants are already used to the soil and climate of your area and will thrive far easier than a palm tree for example. These native plants will also help to provide food and homes for the native creatures.