Archive | HOME AND GARDEN

Drought is a problem for any avid gardener as it means your precious plants are missing one key component to help them stay healthy. When no rain is falling, and the sun is beating down, it is hard to give your plants the moisture they need to grow. 

Consequently, you end up with a brown and dry garden that’s basically had all the moisture sucked out of it. 

While you can’t control the weather, there are things you can do to deal with drought in your garden?

1. Water your garden regularly

Clearly, you need to water your garden as regularly as possible during the warmer months. Some plants need to be watered every couple of days, while other areas – like your lawn – only need watering once or twice a week. 

It is a good idea to try and conserve rainwater throughout the year, so you have a supply of water when you need it. Rain barrels work perfectly here, so you aren’t using your home water supply all the time. As a benefit, you’re cutting down on water usage, helping the planet at the same time. 

2. Help your garden retain moisture

The issue many people have is they water their garden during a drought, and then see all the moisture evaporate within a few hours. This happens when your garden isn’t retaining the moisture as effectively as it could. 

Two things can be done to correct this. Firstly, you can use organic matter as mulch to trap the moisture in the soil for longer. Secondly, you can use humus compost to do the same thing. Humus is a spongy substance that means it soaks up and retains a lot of moisture, which is perfect for keeping a garden healthy and well soaked during periods of drought. 

3. De-weed your garden

Nobody likes seeing weeds in their garden, but they do more damage than you think. As unsightly as they are, the biggest problem is that you have other plants competing for water and nutrients with your existing ones. In essence, they are draining your soil of all the water you put down. 

So, when periods of hot weather and no rain come around, your garden dries out thanks to the weeds. Keep up with regular weeding to remove these pests from your garden. Remember, a weed is basically a plant that’s grown without your permission. Sometimes, you like the natural things that grow in your garden. But, if they’re getting in your way and depriving the rest of your plants of being healthy, you need to get rid of them. The video above will give you some great tips to help you out!

Typically, droughts happen during the hottest months of the year. So, if you’re not currently at that stage yet, you can still prepare your garden for periods of dry weather. Collect and store as much rainwater as possible, and ensure that your garden consistently gets a good dose of water and nutrients. Focus on weeding your garden space and using mulch or compost to trap moisture in the soil as well. 

Moving house takes a lot of consideration and planning. The process can be arduous and it can be one of the more stressful times in your life. As a result, the environmental impact of your move may have slipped your mind. In a time where the world is more environmentally conscious than ever, even traditionally stressful times can be adapted or changed to better serve the environment and lower the carbon footprint. Whether you need an international moving company for an international move or are relocating to the next street, here are some ways in which you can make your move more eco-friendly, without contributing to your stress levels.

Start decluttering early on

Decluttering when moving has many benefits. It gives you the opportunity to get rid of things taking up unnecessary space, remove items you no longer need and make the move that little bit easier as you are moving less stuff. Moving less stuff will also have a knock-on effect on your CO emissions. The less stuff you have to move the fewer trips you will need to make, the less packaging you will need, and the smaller transportation units you will use. This will also have the added benefit of reducing the cost of your move. When decluttering be mindful not to use landfills unnecessarily, where you can donate, recycle or sell. A word of warning, do not declutter for the sake of it. A new home does not need new furniture. If you have perfectly good working furniture then take it with you.

Limit your use of packing boxes

Traditionally house moves have involved filling cardboard boxes that typically get damaged in the move and are seldom reused. To avoid this and limit the environmental consequence of this, consider using alternatives to cardboard boxes. If you are using a removal firm they may send you strong plastic containers. Although made of plastic they are great as they can be used multiple times. 

If you are undertaking the move yourself, look into renting plastic containers for your move as opposed to buying them. Alternatively, a great cost-saving trick is to utilize items you already have such as suitcases, holdalls, and even furniture items. You can still load up draws to transport items, just be sure to remove the draws from the unit first. 

Another great tip when packing to keep your disposable waste down is to wrap precious items in tea towels, blankets, or even clothes. This will prevent you from using traditional plastic packaging such as bubble wrap and help to keep the move costs down. 

Don’t waste your food

You will know your move date in advance and as such you will have time to empty your freezer and fridge in advance. By emptying it is not meant discarding, rather planning your meals to use up all of the items in your fridge or freezer that will not survive the move. If there are items you cannot use then why not donate them to a local charity or food bank. 

It’s finally time to get outside and enjoy the warm weather! As you start planning your outdoor activities, don’t forget about all of the fun you can have in your backyard. With a few simple changes, you can turn your backyard into an eco wonderland that is beautiful and sustainable. This blog post will provide you with tips to help you get started. So let’s get outdoors and create some memories!

Making Some Changes

You can start small by making some easy changes to your outdoor space. For example, you can add some native plants known to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Saving Water

Another great way to make your backyard more eco-friendly is to reduce the lawn you have. Properties require a lot of water and chemicals to stay healthy, so by replacing some of your yards with native plants or a garden, you can save water and reduce your chemical use. You can also install a rain barrel to collect rainwater to water your plants.

If you have a pool, you may consider getting a pool removal contractor to remove it. Pools require a lot of chemicals to maintain the proper pH balance, and they can be a considerable water waste.

Attract Birds

One way to turn your backyard into an eco wonderland is by attracting birds. Birds are great for the environment because they help with pollination and seed dispersal. To attract birds, you can put up bird feeders and birdhouses. You can also plant trees and shrubs native to your area because they will provide food and shelter for birds.

Another way to attract birds is to have a water source. Birds need water to drink and bathe in. You can put out a birdbath or a small pond. Make sure to keep the water clean and fresh by changing it regularly.

Provide Homes for Wildlife

Another way to turn your backyard into an eco wonderland is by providing homes for wildlife. This can include putting up nesting boxes for birds, bats, and bees. You can also build a brush pile or a rock pile for lizards, snakes, and other reptiles. Creating a water feature like a pond or a waterfall will attract amphibians, dragonflies, and other insects. By providing homes for wildlife, you’ll not only be helping out the environment, but you’ll also get to see some amazing animals up close!

Planting Trees

One of the best things to make your backyard more eco-friendly is to plant trees. Trees provide shade and help cool your home during hot summer days, but they also absorb carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air. Trees also help prevent soil erosion and provide a habitat for wildlife. When choosing trees to plant in your backyard, select native species that are well-suited to your climate and soil type.

If you’re looking for ways to be more eco-friendly, your backyard is a great place to start. Making your backyard into an eco wonderland is good for the environment, but it can also be a fun and rewarding project. Use these tips to get started on making your backyard oasis.

If you are planning on renovating your home, it might be worth thinking about what you can do to make the place, and your renovation projects, as eco-friendly as possible. This will be good for the planet, good for you and your wallet, and good for your home too.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best eco-friendly renovation tips to think about when you’re doing up your home:

Use reclaimed materials

Id yous are undertaking a renovation that requires the use of materials like wood or stone, instead of using all-new, materials. See if you can buy reclaimed. Usually, it is not difficult to find reclaimed materials like wooden beams, stone slates, and tiles, and actually, a lot o the time, they look far better than anything you can buy new for the same price. This is a really good way to lower your home‘s carbon footprint while still ensuring that it looks beautiful so really, it’s a win-win situation.

Reuse and reclaim

Of course, as well as buying reclaimed material for your next home renovation project, you can actually save many of the existing materials in your home and either reuses them in your own projects or sell them to someone else who is also looking to build in a more sustainable way.

So, if you are making any major changes, instead of bulldozing your walls or knocking things down without thought, try to carefully deconstruct them instead. This will enable you to save the maximum amount of materials for reuse.

Install gutter guards

If you’re planning to upgrade your gutters, one simple thing you can do to make your home more eco-friendly is to install gutter guards like the ones at LeafCo Gutters too. How does this help to boost your home’s eco-credentials? Because the more effective gutters are at keeping waterway from your property, the less likely you are to get holes in the roof or dampness in your home, which means you will not need to use more energy to keep your home warm and dry. Good gutter guards will really help with this.

Upcycle

If you are thinking about buying new furniture, perhaps because yours is a bit old and worn or not in the style you really like, then instead of tossing it in the trash, why not try upcycling it instead? A fresh lick of paint or a new piece of fabric can completely transform even the oldest most unattractive furniture, with the added bonus that your creations will be one of a kind.

If you really do not want to keep your old furniture, at the very least donate it to friends, family, or goodwill rather than sending it off to the local garbage dump.

Use low VOC paint

If you have decided that your home needs a new lick of paint to freshen it up, one very simple thing you can do to make sure your home renovations are as eco-friendly as possible, is to use low VOC paint. This is paint that does not have many of the toxic chemicals found in your average can of paint, which not only means that it is good for the environment, but it is also practically without that horrible odor of fresh paint, which means you’ll be able to breathe more easily when renovating your home too. A lot of these eco-renovation ideas are really beneficial for us too. 

Install insulation

If you are doing a renovation job where you need to get on the roof or modify the walls in any way, perhaps because you are converting the attic or having the property required, why not kill two birds with one stone by having insulation installed at the same time. If your home is going to be in chaos anyway, it’s the perfect time to have cavity wall/ roof insulation put in place, and doing so will help to better keep energy inside your home so you can turn the thermostat down or not need to use the air conditioning unit quite so often. That’s good for the planet, and good for your wallet too. 

Buy used

When it comes to buying new furniture and accessories, antique stores, vintage shops, and goodwill should be your first port of call if you want to cut your carbon footprint, and actually, you;l find some much more interesting stuff by shopping this way.

As you can see, there are lots of simple home renovation ideas that will help to boost your home’s eco-credentials, so what are you waiting for?

1) Reduce your energy consumption.

One of the best ways to take care of your home while being sustainable is by reducing your energy consumption. There are several ways to do this, but one of the most effective is simply making sure that you aren’t wasting energy. This means turning off lights when you leave a room, unplugging electronics when they’re not in use, and making sure that your appliances are Energy Star certified. You can save a significant amount of energy (and money) by taking these simple steps!

2) Recycle and reuse materials.

Another great way to take care of your home while being sustainable is to recycle and reuse materials. This means looking for ways to repurpose items that you would normally throw away. For example, you can use old bottles as vases or jars, cardboard boxes as storage containers, and even newspapers as packing material. By recycling and reusing materials, you’re helping to preserve the environment and saving yourself some money! Additionally, it’s essential to ensure that you’re recycling any materials that can’t be reused. This includes plastics, metals, and glass.

3) Use green cleaning products.

If you’re looking for ways to take care of your home while also being sustainable, green cleaning products are a great option! These products are typically made from natural ingredients and are much better for the environment than traditional cleaning products. Additionally, they often work just as well (if not better) than their chemical-laden counterparts. So, if you’re looking to make your home a bit more sustainable, ditch the traditional cleaning products in favor of green alternatives!

4) Have regular maintenance done

One of the best ways to take care of your home is regular maintenance. This includes changing the furnace filter, checking for leaks, and cleaning the gutters. Having your electrical contractor or plumber get routine maintenance done, you can prevent minor problems from becoming big ones (and expensive to fix)! Additionally, it’s essential to make sure that you’re keeping up with any repairs that need to be made. This might include setting a loose doorknob or patching a hole in the drywall. By taking care of these things right away, you can avoid more significant issues down the road.

There are several ways to take care of your home while also being sustainable. By following these tips, you can positively impact the planet while also taking care of your own home!