Confessions of a Home Owner: How I’m Greening Up My Act – Part 2

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I must confess that, up until recently, being green was a casual habit, not a way of life. There’s something about having inquisitive little people around asking questions about why we do or don’t do things for the environment that got me thinking that small, everyday actions in the way we live can help to promote a more sustainable and healthy environment. Our family has started to take notice and action when it comes to how we live inside the house (see my previous confession https://www.faristeam.ca/confessions-home-owner-im-greening-act-part-1/).

With spring now upon us, we are looking for ways we can be more “green” outdoors, and also for projects that my kids can take pride in assisting with. We have always planted a few flowers each year to make the house look a little more lively throughout the summer, but after brainstorming, we’ve come up with 10 other ways we can green up our act outdoors.

The Tree Guarantee
Those of us who weren’t asleep in science class know that we simply wouldn’t be able to breathe if it weren’t for plants and trees. They use photosynthesis to turn carbon dioxide and water into oxygen. By simply planting a tree, you are doing a world of good for the air around you. When thinking about where we could put a tree in our backyard, I remembered back to picking fruit off the trees in my grandparents backyard when I was a kid. Cherries and plums…yum! That’s when a brilliant idea came to mind…why not plant a fruit tree or two of my own? Make sure you speak to your local garden centre about the type of soil and sun exposure in the location you will be planting the tree so that they can help you pick the type that will flourish the best in your yard. Before you know it, you will be breathing fresh air and enjoying delicious fruit!

When in Doubt, Plant for Drought!
Every year when we plant our gardens and create our flower baskets, we tend to pick the most beautiful colourful flowers. Sometimes these die off after the summer heat gets to them because we simply can’t water and feed them as often as they need it, so why not plant a drought-tolerant garden? Not only will this make your job easier in that you won’t need to water it as often, but it will also help the environment when it comes to excessive amounts of water depleting our water systems. There are many varieties of both flowering shrubs and low-lying hearty plants that are still equally as beautiful but not as high-maintenance. When planting a window basket or table bowl, consider succulents. They are extremely drought-tolerant and currently on-trend.

Being Green is for the Birds
With vast development throughout our cities, the natural habitats of wildlife are being depleted. Cutting down trees means birds are losing a place to nest. You fellow Mary Poppins fans will recall the song, “feed the birds, tuppence a bag….”Although it may cost more than two pennies now, it still does not cost much to feed the birds. For a bird feeder, you can either buy a pre-made one or as we will do this week, build one from scratch, then hang it in a spot where you can watch the birds enjoying their food each day. And don’t forget about the hummingbirds! They feed off  simple sugar water that you can make in large batches. Just be sure not to colour the water with food colouring which can be detrimental to their health. If you’re looking for a pop of colour, put it in a coloured feeder instead. Filling the bird feeder with food is a simple task that kids can enjoy too! Or, check out some squirrel-proof models in-store like the model below (Absolute II).

The Buzz About Bees
You’re sitting on the patio enjoying the sunshine with a glass of lemonade and a pesky bee comes swarming around you. We all know what you’re thinking…swat it. STOP! Generally speaking, bees will only sting you if they feel threatened while most will be minding their own beeswax. We need bees for our plants to thrive. Bees play an important role in the pollination process of plants and you wouldn’t be able to enjoy that sweet honey on your toast if it weren’t for them. While we can’t all become overnight bee keepers (leave that to the pros or truly invest time to learn the proper process), we can still do our part to save the bee population. Instead of being afraid of bees, help them out by planting bee-friendly flowers. Check out https://bringbackthebees.ca or www.beesmatter.ca for more info. If you’re looking to support local bee farmers in their efforts, buy honey and honey products from local sources like Dickey Bee Honey in Cookstown (www.dickeybeehoney.com) or Adam’s Honey in Barrie (www.adamshoney.com).

Save it on a Rainy Day
“Rain, rain, go away, come again another day.” But what if it doesn’t rain again all week and your lawn and garden are looking parched? Make use of a rainy day and save all that water for when you need it. Save it in a rain barrel! A rain barrel can be strategically placed to capture run-off from eavestroughs and downspouts, then simply fill your watering can from the barrel to water your plants. Instead of turning on your tap to use the hose, water that would normally just overflow back into the ground can now save you money!

Waste No More
Our family is guilty of this one…we recycle papers and plastics but throw a lot in the trash that can be composted. It would be so easy to throw food waste into a separate compost bin and add it with the other bins at the curb on garbage day. By doing so, we would be reducing the amount of garbage ending up in our landfills. For those who are savvy gardeners, an even better option would be to add a compost bin to the backyard and use the ‘repurposed’ decomposed compost for fill in gardens. Compost filler adds many nutrients that plants feed off of. You’ll be doing the earth a huge favour by simply re-using your food waste!

Be a Chemical-Free Crusader
All summer long we strive to keep a yard full of lush green grass with no weeds. When weeds pop up we are quick to grab the chemical weed killer spray. What actually happens when we use that chemical spray? It does kill the weed, but then those toxic chemicals leach into the soil. Now think about how many times you use that spray throughout the season. Or how many times your neighbours might use a similar type of spray. Then multiply that by many of the properties in the city. Yikes! That’s a lot of chemicals that are seeping into the earth and in turn running off into our waterways. There are many suggestions for simple natural alternatives online that present different purposes depending on the type of maintenance and care needed. A pot of boiling water, salt, white vinegar…all are some organic options.

Pick it up
Picking up the trash starts at home. All it takes is a little wind on garbage day and litter can be found scattered around the yard. It doesn’t matter where we go, there seems to be litter and trash everywhere! Many communities sponsor and host community clean-up days to clean up that trash. In an effort to teach my daughter about the importance of keeping our environment clean, our family decided to participate in a community clean up around our neighbourhood. Supplies such as garbage bags and plastic gloves were provided by the township; all it took was a little time and effort on our part and the neighbourhood was back to looking like a place we are proud to live in. Check out your city or town’s website or contact them to find out when you can participate in the next community clean up day!

Local, Organic and Fair-Trade
Here are the simple facts: buy local produce, choose organically produced foods, and seek out products that support fair trade. In buying locally-grown and raised produce, dairy and meats you are supporting our local economy and taking a stand to support farmers and a healthy farming environment. Organic options are free from the pesticides and genetically modified treatments which are not only healthier for you and your family but are healthier for the earth as well. Fair-trade products, such as fair-trade coffee, support positive trading partnerships and positive equity in the foreign countries some of our foods come from. All around, any of these options support a sustainable environment. Our family enjoys visiting farmers markets throughout the summer which is a great way to support your local economy. There are many wonderful markets throughout the region.

Preserve it
Remember back to my previous recommendations of growing fruit trees or visiting farmers markets to pick up some local produce? Well now that you have all kinds of fruit and vegetables, why not preserve them to use year-round! Turn those cucumbers into pickles! Or make some jam out of that fruit! Many of us can probably recall our parents or grandparents having a cold cellar full of homemade jarred goodies that would see us through the winter. While it may be quicker to just buy what we need, I think carrying on the tradition of preserving foods is something my family will enjoy and something we may just try out this year as a summertime hobby!

Greening up your act?  Let us know what changes you’re making and how it’s going by sharing it on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FarisTeam.

Signed,
Anonymous Barrie Resident

Let us know what you’re doing to green up your act by posting a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FarisTeam/posts/10155241604939787

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