Increasing numbers ofpeople are choosing to live a more sustainable life these days. In particular,many homeowners are keen to find ways to cut back on household waste. A keymotivating factor is the vast number of goods that end up in landfill each day.In fact, TheWorldCounts.com reportsthat over 50 tons of household waste is thrown out every second. What’s evenmore concerning is that this number is headed towards double that by the year2030.
If you’re ready to find new ways to reduce your family’sconsumption, remember that this job extends outside of your house, too. Whileit’s vital to find more eco-livingsolutions inside, do pay attention to your yard. There are multiple ways toreduce wastage related to gardens that you can start implementing this summer.
Reduce Plant Purchases
First up, restrain yourself when it comes to plantpurchases. It’s tempting to keep buying greenery when you’re a green thumb andspot things that look pretty or interesting, but if you’re honest withyourself, you’ll probably admit that your garden has plenty in it already.
If you do need more, consider digging up and dividing some ofyour perennial plants so you increase their number. You might also want totrade bulbs and cuttings with family, friends, or other gardeners. If you allswap varieties, you’ll end up with a good mixture without having to buy fromthe shops and contributing to waste, particularly when it comes to the plasticpots plants come in.
These pots end up in landfill and don’t break down, soanything you can do to lessen this load is a good thing. Plus, if you do stillend up with some containers each year, at recycle them where possible, or reusethem for other things, such as planting seedlings.
Keep Tools in Good Condition
Another good way to reduce wastage in your garden is to workon maintaining your tools. Keep them in better order, and they’ll last longer.In turn, you won’t have to keep buying new items. Store your gardeningequipment correctly, out of the weather, and oil and/or sharpen items as neededthroughout the year.
Try to avoid buying new tools unless you have to. Forequipment you only need to use once or twice, you’ll likely have a friend orfamily member who has what you need and will loan it to you. Alternatively,rent tools from local nurseries or other suppliers. When you do believe it’stime to add to your collection, choose secondhand options at garage sales or opshops.
Compost and Mulch
Reduce wastage by setting up a compost heap in your yard. Avariety of kitchen and other household scraps can go in the compost (includingcoffee beans, shredded paper, tea bags, eggshells, and fruit and veg), ratherthan being trucked off to landfill. Also, once you get all the materialsbreaking down into fresh organic compost, you can use this to fertilize yourgarden and lawn. This means you don’t have to go out and buy packaged feed.
Mulch is another handy item in the yard, as it helps plantsto retain water and stay healthy. Avoid the wastage you’d get from buying mulchelsewhere by taking advantage of the materials you already have at home. Forexample, utilize shredded paper, spark bark chips, and grass clippings andleaves.
If you outsource your lawn mowing to a gardener, ask them toleave the clippings for you so you can repurpose them around your yard. If youneed to hire someone for this task, search online for aflexible ‘lawn service near me.’ Most landscapers and gardeners are finewith putting grass and leaf clippings on gardens rather than taking them to thegarbage dump, as this saves them disposal fees.
Grow Produce
If your family is like most, you probably throw outsignificant amounts of food annually. In particular, it’s common for fruit,vegetables, and herbs to be put in the bin because they’ve gone bad or losttheir freshness too quickly.
To reduce this kindof wastage, consider growing produce. That way, you can pick what you need eachday, and leave the rest on the plant. Not only does this mean less foodwastage, but you’ll also have a lot less plastic and other packaging to throwaway.
Don’t stress if you don’t have a big backyard, either. Youdon’t need a huge area of land to set up a veggie patch. You can also use pots sincemany things thrive perfectly well in containers as long as they get a bit ofTLC.
Reducing wastage is an excellent priority to have for thesummer months. It doesn’t have to cause you stress or take up a lot of time andenergy. By simply making a few small changes to your routine, you’ll soonnotice your bin has more room in it each week.
