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5 Reasons You Should Start a Gardening Club In Your Community

May 26, 2021 0

Green living is increasingly becoming more popular and more important in many communities. With so many people turning toward green energy and greener lifestyles, you might be considering how you can positively impact your community with these improvements. Gardening clubs are one way of implementing this eco-friendly change, and there are many reasons to look into starting one for your community. Here are the five most considerable benefits you should think about.

1. Advocate for More Sustainability

Sustainable practices have been gaining steam in recent decades, and today recycling and eco-living have become a main practice throughout the nation. More than 69% of all steel — over 80 million tons — is recycled every year, and in 2018 three million tons of plastic were also recycled. While remembering to reuse and recycle materials is important, this can also correspond to gardening and composting. By being able to grow your own community produce and compost acceptable food items for fertilizer, you can further cut down on the waste produced by your area. These sustainable practices can help make your community much greener and more eco-friendly over time.

2. Make Your Community a Better Place to Live

A community gardening club can also help build a stronger sense of community while creating lasting relationships among neighbors. With everyone working together and growing produce to share, you can make a more welcoming and inclusive atmosphere that gets people invested and involved in the area. This sense of community is something that many places lack, and by being proactive and creating a way for people to interact meaningfully, you can help build your community up.

3. Work Alongside Local Small Businesses

With over 400 million entrepreneurs worldwide, it’s important to look around your area and see who can help support your goals. Local small businesses shouldn’t be overlooked when building your community gardening club, especially those that sell the resources you need. Even businesses that don’t sell gardening supplies could help sponsor or promote local farmer’s markets that you might hold once your gardening club kicks off. This can be a great way to draw in folks from other communities who then might go on to create their own gardening club. Often you might find that you have more produce than your community needs, and hosting a public sale advertised by local businesses is a great way to spread the love.

4. Produce Healthy Food and Beautiful Green Scenery

A local garden green space is capable of producing both food and a gorgeous piece of scenery. In places where concrete and pavement may be the norm, it’s refreshing to break that mold with beautiful greenery. This neighborhood beautification can also help increase the value of the neighborhood overall, which benefits all of the homeowners in the area. Green spaces like this can also create a productive place for kids to play and learn about gardening at the same time!

5. A Local Garden Can Help You Meet Like-Minded Neighbors

Lastly, starting a community gardening club can be a great way to meet local folks who value green living as much as you do. You may be surprised at all the people in your neighborhood that you will be able to draw in and create meaningful relationships with. To help get the word out, you can consider creating posters to place in mailboxes and local shops. You may even want to create a unique domain webpage to help further get the word out. However, nearly 900,000 domains are registered every week, so make sure yours stands out so locals can easily find you.

A local gardening club has many benefits, and if you’re looking for a great way to bring your neighborhood together, this is one of the best ways possible. Not only does it benefit you, but it can benefit your community and the environment as a whole.

How Close Are You To Having An Eco-Friendly Home?

May 24, 2021 0

An eco-friendly home can exist in many forms, depending on where you are in the world and how you’re currently managing your household. After all, it can seem a little expensive to go as green as possible, and when you’ve already got solar panels installed on the roof, how much further do you need to go? 

Well, there’s always another, small change you can make to keep your home the cozy and eco-friendly place it needs to be. We all have to do our bit to help the planet, and it’s often a lot more accessible to do so than you might think. And because of this fact, here are a few questions to ask about the green factor in your home right now. 

Are You Reducing Waste?

Waste is something every single house out there produces, but often enough, we produce too much. And if you’re constantly using paper and plastics within your home, you’re going to be contributing to this major tonnage. 

You want as many reusable things as possible; straws, bags, bottles, clothes, etc., and you’ll want to recycle more than you’ll want to contribute to landfill. Old furniture and electronics are two of the main reasons why garbage tips struggle to cope, so try to dispose of them at second hand shops, or see if there’s a local (or brand sponsored) recycling campaign for such items available. 

Are You Cutting Down on Your Bills?

Your bills are very much indicative of how much energy, gas, and water you’re using month by month. And because of this, it’s a good idea to work on cutting them down as far as you can. Using less means paying less, and when it comes to energy savings that have a positive impact on the planet around you, there’s plenty you can do. 

For example, you could work with a renewable only supplier, which’ll help to keep your carbon footprint down. You can also install LED bulbs in any lights around the home, which can also cut down your bill, and you can even try using a water tank to keep your home’s plumbing flushing through in a renewable manner too. 

Are You Growing Your Own Food?

Finally, if you’re someone who has ample space in their garden, or even just a couple of window boxes to make use of, you can try your hand at growing your own food. It’s a lot easier than you’ve been led to believe!

After all, when given the right conditions to grow in, plants can mostly take care of themselves. And seeing as vegetables such as tomatoes, beans, peas, and leafy greens will shoot up with just a bit of soil, you’ve got the chance of pulling in a fine harvest once the summer rolls around. 

An eco-friendly home doesn’t have to be perfect, but you’ll certainly have to try and make some green changes. So, cut down on your bills, try your hand at gardening, and throw less away.

Tips For Lowering Your Home’s Energy and Water Usage

May 24, 2021 0

Your home’s energy bill continues to rise to the degree of you exploring green living options. How can you make your home more energy-efficient without paying thousands for upgrades? Consider these tips for lowering your home’s energy and water usage.

Get Regular HVAC Maintenance

Your home’s efficiency begins with proper maintenance, which is critical to improving airflow throughout the home. Simply replacing your air filters every three to six months can reduce the air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5% to 15%.

It is also a good idea to have your HVAC system evaluated by a professional at least once per year. A certified specialist can give you a complete health report that tells you which components need to be changed. A report will also tell you how long you have until you need to replace the system entirely.

Make Improvements Outdoors

An energy-efficient roof is a great way to promote green living in your home. A green roof absorbs the heat from the sun to keep the residence warm during the winter months. Green roofs also help deflect excess sunlight that could lead to hotter days indoors during the summer months.

You may also consider using solar lighting outdoors. This option is affordable and can be controlled with motion sensors, which extend the lifetime of the system.

Solar panels are a great way to reduce energy costs as well. Many who choose solar paneling find themselves saving hundreds, or even thousands, on electric bills. It is even estimated that consumers and businesses can save as much as $20,000 per year on utility bills by going with solar panels.

Consider A Low Flow Toilet

Did you know that flushing the toilet is responsible for about 38% of your home’s water usage? Your water bill rises to even higher amounts if, like many families in the United States, you have more than one bathroom in the home.

Converting existing toilets to low-flow lavatories can save anywhere from two to five gallons per flush. You may also consider replacing your shower head while also fixing leaking faucets to further reduce your water bill.

Adjust Your Furniture

Placing your sofa underneath the vent is a good idea when you plan to watch television for hours. You may find yourself in a dilemma, however, when you move about your home while enjoying air conditioning or heat.

Rearranging your furniture is a good way to improve airflow and help lower your electric bill. You are more inclined to change the temperature on your thermostat when you feel like the home is not getting enough circulation. The reality, however, is that your sofa is probably consuming more energy by being in the direct path of the air.

Consider moving your big furniture items away from the vents. It may even be a good idea to leave the area in the path of vents open completely, so the air has full reign to flow through the home.

Consider Renovations With Good ROIs

The majority of Americans, about 61%, will choose to renovate a home instead of moving out entirely. Choosing improvements that contribute to better energy efficiency is a great way to tackle the problem of high electric bills.

Consider replacing single-pane windows with double or triple-pane windows. This improvement keeps the air flowing from the HVAC system inside the home.

You can also consider implementing tailored energy management solutions for your home that can help monitor and optimize usage in real time, making it easier to reduce waste and lower utility costs.

Also, make certain to insulate your living space and the home’s attic with durable weather stripping. Sealing openings with caulk is also a great way to insulate for better energy efficiency.

Green living works to save the planet and money on your utility bills. Use these tips to make your home more efficient.

Living Sustainably and Healthily with Your Garden

May 10, 2021 0

Many people would attest to the many benefits gardening has on one’s mental and physical health. There is no denying the peace that comes with being able to nurture a plant from its earliest days up until it’s time for harvesting. Gardening also comes in various shapes and forms; it can merely be a hobby you like to invest some time in after a stressful day at the office, or it can even be a means of putting food on the table. Growing your own vegetable garden can offer a means of providing food for your family and saving on costs while doing so, as well as stir up a passion for producing fresh products and doing your part for the environment.

If you would like to cultivate your own vegetable garden but aren’t sure where to start, try doing some research on what fruits and vegetables you can start off with that require minimal space and offer substantial produce – this can kick-start your gardening journey and also provide you with significant rewards within a short period of time. Gardening may also motivate you even further to help lessen the effects we humans have on the environment. There are also many health benefits associated with gardening that make it even more worthwhile, providing a win-win situation for you and your outdoor sanctuary. Have a look down below at some of these health benefits that explain why gardening is a must for any person looking to live a healthy and positive life.

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Eco-Friendly Ideas For Your New Place

May 6, 2021 0

Why is it important to create an eco-friendly home? Nationwide, household energy consumption accounts for 20% of all emissions. Further, ‘If you consider indirect emissions, this figure is closer to 80%,’ PBS reports.

Simply put, these figures are not good. Thankfully, there are simple things you can do around your home to improve its looks and do your part to lower your carbon footprint. Follow these eco-friendly tips to decorate your new home.

Keep Packing Materials

If you are renting, chances are you move somewhat frequently. In fact, one-third will move at least once per year. Whether you move annually or biannually, keep your packing materials on hand for the next time you move. This is especially important for fragile items, like decorations and glassware, that require extra packing materials to move.

If you move frequently, use reusable materials, like sheets, blankets, towels, cardboard boxes, and corrugated wrap roll made out of recycled paper. Some companies even rent eco-friendly plastic boxes for you to use during your move and return when you finish unpacking.

Spruce Up the Place with Sustainable Rugs

Area rugs, accent rugs, and runners can go a long way to spruce up any given space and make it truly feel like home. If you choose to go this route, make sure you choose sustainable rugs made out of natural fibers.

The average rug — up to 90% of all rugs — is machine-made in a factory. These mass-produced rugs contain petroleum-based synthetic fiber, and that chemical-based fiber releases potentially harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Choose rugs made out of recycled plastic, jute, or seagrass instead.

Support Local Businesses

Buying local is always best. Small, local businesses are far more likely to use sustainable packaging materials and make as many of their products onsite as they can. That cuts down on exorbitant shipping costs and emissions.

Big box retailers and large, international companies, on the other hand, want to make production as economical as possible. That often means taking shortcuts, like using more packaging, cheaper packaging, and/or mass-producing products in factories overseas.

Buy your decor and household necessities from a small, local business. If you are unsure where to start, why not go for a drive? As many as 35% of customers find local businesses simply by seeing signs for them as they pass.

Purchase Indoor Plants

Indoor plants improve the appearance of your apartment or house while improving indoor air quality and boosting your mood as well. Ficus trees, spider plants, and Boston ferns are some of the most effective plant varieties when it comes to improving the air quality in your home.

Decorate with Art You Love

Art brings us joy. It is scientifically proven. In fact, a 2011 study out of the University of London showed that looking at a beloved painting is similar to looking at a loved one: it stimulates the blood flow in the parts of our brains responsible for joy and happiness by as much as 10%.

For guilt-free art in your home, search for artists that choose eco-friendly materials. More artists are using sustainable paints and recycled materials than in the past. Ask artists how they keep their work environmentally friendly.

Another option is to support local artists. Once again, local artists use fewer materials and produce fewer emissions than their large, commercial counterparts. Purchasing from a large retailer will involve shipping, which will entail using and supporting trucks that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide. You can purchase from local artists without any shipping involved at all. Simply visit a nearby gallery, art market, or art show.

Doing your part for the environment starts in your home. Make your new apartment or house look stylish and beautiful all the while keeping it eco-friendly and sustainable with the tips above.

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