Summary: The term go green is over-used and does not mean plant more grass. Simple changes in yard and garden maintenance can mean a cleaner, healthier planet that benefits everyone.
By now you are either still annoyed with Daylight Saving Time or have gotten used to it over the course of the week. Originally conceived to conserve energy during World War I, not one person who came up with the bright idea is still alive today.
While I am all for energy conservation I downright hate the time change and think it is time to reconsider this like we did mens garters, disposable cameras and using the dictionary to check the spelling of a word. I mean, really?
March 20 marks the official first day of spring and for those of us that spend time in the yard and garden it means we can really start getting our hands dirty. Time change or no time change we should always seek out ways to make our yards and gardens a more positive part of the planet and as carbon-neutral as possible.
Maintaining the yard and garden can have negative effects on the environment and actually do more polluting than we realize especially if we use gas-powered or electric equipment, chemical and organic fertilizers and pesticides.
Getting rid of grass is one of the most powerful ways to reduce your carbon footprint. A grass lawn is high maintenance requiring seasonal fertilizing, weekly cutting and in the hotter months, an enormous amount of water to keep it looking decent.
Fertilizer, even the organic kind can be bad for the environment because it has to be manufactured and then transported making it fossil fuel intensive. Leave grass clippings where they fall and make compost from yard waste and kitchen scraps that can be applied as needed.
Plant vegetables in the garden this but also consider adding them to the beds and borders where more traditional plants get overlooked. Vegetable plants are stunning and have desirable characteristics that go beyond the fruit they produce.
Construct a rain-barrel close to the garden. During periods of drought your rain-harvested water can be used to hand water plants without ever having to turn on the hose.
Using native plants in landscaping can save water and eliminate the need to fight diseases. Native plants are acclimated to the regions unpredictable weather and can survive where other plants cannot.
Reduce or stop using power equipment unless absolutely necessary. The old-fashioned rotary push mowers are still made today and require only a man or woman to power them. While they dont come in zero-turn models or have a cup holder they will clip the grass and provide a healthy workout.
Gas-powered weed trimmers and leaf blowers pollute the air by emitting as much pollution as 80 cars in a years time according to the Environmental Protection Agency. They worsen allergies and theyre terribly noisy.
Let part of the yard become wild. When I was a kid my dad only mowed the south forty twice a year. Even though it was on the east side of the property and actually only consisted of about an acre it was a wild place where we saw insects and animals that rarely made their way to the manicured yards of neighboring properties.
If everyone made a few changes in the way they care for their lawns and gardens we could all share cleaner air, healthier landscapes, and homegrown vegetables in abundance.
