Earth Day has become a longstanding tradition of defending and caring for the planet. The social movement began in the late 1960s under the wings of the Flower Power generation. Since then, everyone is encouraged to do their part for Mother Earth, from homeowners to CEOs.
Earth Day isn’t just about celebrating our home one day a year. It’s a mentality that emphasizes taking steps to care for the Earth every day of the year If you’re looking for ways to find ways to care for the Earth in your own backyard, then keep reading, this article is for you!
Practice Smart Irrigation
On average, 50% of the water used to irrigate lawns and gardens goes to waste due to evaporation, wind, and improper irrigation. Conserving outdoor water use is not just an eco-friendly endeavor, it’ll save homeowners money on their water bill, too.
So how do you go about irrigating smartly? There are many popular methods, but two common and inexpensive ones are cistern collection and drip irrigation.
Cistern collection has been practiced for thousands of years. Ancient Rome thrived as a metropolis thanks to giant cisterns collecting rain and river water for the city underground! Purchase a cistern or rain barrel and place it under the rain spouts to collect water. Use this for your gardening needs and save the sprinkler for the grass!
Drip irrigation is a DIYer’s favorite water irrigation technique. Drip irrigation uses low-water pressure and low water volume to water entire rows of plants and lawns. The system consists of a series of hoses or water lines laid out along the desired watering area. Drip irrigation systems can be bought as kits to suit any landscaping design.
Stick to “Seed-to-Plate” Eating
Seed-to-Plate eating is exactly what it sounds like: homeowners grow and eat their own produce. A remarkable amount of gasoline is used to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to every part of the country, creating a ton of greenhouse emissions in the process. When growing your own food isn’t possible, consider purchasing locally grown and made products from your hometown’s farmers market.
Save the Bees
There’s more to bees than just honey. The tiny-but-mighty bee is responsible for the pollination of up to one-third of the global food supply. As bees travel seeking nectar to eat, bees pollinate plants. But, bees are dying off at an alarming rate, and if they become extinct, the result would be a crippling blow to the world’s ecosystems.
Instead of swatting at a bee or trying to kill off a beehive on your property, have a professional bee-removing service handle it. They’ll relocate the bees to a safe place, and the colony will continue their important pollinating work!
Plant Some Trees
If there’s one way to celebrate Earth Day any and every day of the year, it’s by planting trees. Trees and other plants produce clean, fresh oxygen for the world to breathe while consuming carbon dioxide in the process. Thanks to trees, the world is a cleaner place.
After decades of deforestation and due to the continued shrinking of the Amazon rainforest, planting trees has become an essential part of Earth Conservation. Trees not only produce clean air, but they also clean the water of the Earth, they also provide a home for countless animal species, and they help prevent flooding and other natural disasters. The world needs more trees, and you can help.
Depending on where you live, there are hundreds of trees to choose from to plant in your yard. Some require a lot of care, others are fairly hardy and easy to grow. It’s important to always consult a tree care expert or arborist before selecting and planting a tree. City and state ordinances and building codes may require specific planting instructions to be followed or may limit the type of tree that can be planted in residential areas. Plus, tree planting can be dangerous, as it puts the planter at risk of hitting gas lines or water mains.
Consulting a tree planting service can make this green endeavor a little easier. They’ll be able to plant the new tree quickly and give you the best advice for taking care of your seedling correctly.
Maintain Trees & Shrubbery
Planting trees doesn’t do much if the little fern or young pine tree isn’t taken care of. The bigger and healthier a tree is, the better it will produce clean air. So, it stands to reason that another great way to help save the Earth is to take care of its trees!
Tree care isn’t just about watering schedules and the occasional fertilization. Tree pruning and tree trimming are essential to keeping a tree healthy and strong. A local arborist or tree care expert can give tree risk assessments to determine if tree removal may be necessary, or if tree healthcare may need to be administered in the form of trimming or pruning, fertilization, or pest removal.
Consider giving these green steps a try as you plan out your Earth Day celebration!