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Going Green? Try These Ten Steps to a Better Garden and Backyard

Going green is the newest trend worldwide with many people taking steps to reduce their environmental footprint and try to create sustainable practices as opposed to the wasteful living many of us are guilty of now. One of the best places to start is in the garden and backyard. Traditionally, these are areas where a lot of harsh chemicals are used to kill weeds and ensure a healthy lawn, but at what cost? There are plenty of ways to have a beautiful garden and enviable backyard décor while also doing our part for the environment.

1. Use Natural Sunlight

One way to begin is to use the very source of light nature provides us. Purchasing solar powered lights allows us to save energy, using them to store light by day for use at night. Depending on the theme of the backyard décor, they can be purchased to resemble rocks or other natural objects, or purchased on strings and used in artistic ways to provide a warm glow around patios, gazeboes or other areas. And of course, adding a motion sensor means they only activate when you need them.

2. A Good Reason to Cook Outdoors

The best reason to cook outdoors during the summer is that it saves energy. Everyone knows how a hot kitchen means turning up the AC, but by firing up the barbecue, you not only save energy indoors, but you can enjoy an occasional outdoor evening meal with the family. Add to that a tastefully (and Green!) furnished outdoor dining area and dinner can become a special experience.

3. Natural Décor is Better

The more natural your patio, backyard, and garden decorations look, the more appealing to the eye they will be. Don’t use metal chairs that can rust, for example. Natural woods like cedar look beautiful and age well. And since they are naturally durable, you can avoid using dangerous paints, sealants, and other chemicals. Just remember to use wood that has been harvested in an environmentally conscious fashion and don’t forget also that rocks can be used to great effect in the backyard or garden to accent other décor.

4. Use Local Flora for Your Garden and Backyard

Another sustainable way to take care of your garden and backyard is to use local flora instead of paying extra for trees and plants from other areas. This is because, since they are acclimated to the temperature and rainfall, they will require much less watering and maintenance, and they will provide shelter for birds and other local wildlife. And attracting birds and butterflies will enhance your garden’s beauty. Speaking of beauty, don’t overlook the artful placement of rocks to highlight areas of your backyard.

5. Minimize Your Lawn

The American obsession with having the perfect lawn is slowly fading away as the price for such extravagance becomes clear. Many native plants were considered weeds and dangerous chemicals were used to get rid of them. But that is changing gradually. You can do your part by allowing native plants to grow alongside the grass, filling out your lawn and still keeping it green and beautiful. A mixed lawn will require less maintenance and can still be mowed and trimmed as desired.

6. Adding Water as a Soothing Touch

What garden or backyard design would be complete without water added into it? A soothing fountain can become a beautiful place to gather one’s thoughts and relax, and by making sure it is solar powered, it too will be a green and environmentally friendly addition. Another possibility is a fish pond. They are inexpensive to install and can quickly become the favored place for outdoor gatherings as well as quiet contemplation.

7. Use Wood Grown Responsibly

One such variety of wood is red cedar, which can be used in a variety of ways, from patio deck work to furniture, both indoors as well as in the garden and backyard. It easily resists rot and decay, and any wood that is raised on a tree farm on in a similar fashion reduces environmental waste and contributes to a sustainable and renewable environment.

8. Looking at the Long Term

Always consider the long term lifespan of the products you purchase. If poorly made and low quality, it will wear out before you know it and end up contributing to more trash in a landfill. Even recyclable goods require an investment in energy and materials to be effective, so the best alternative is to purchase products that are of good long lasting quality. Ideally, you would want to be able to give items away when you’re finished with them, and they may even increase in value. Also, when making room to redecorate, don’t throw things away. Instead organize a sale or donate them.

9. Avoid Dating Your Décor

Another thing to keep in mind is to be careful when shopping for larger items or deciding on the overall design of your backyard and garden décor. The last thing you want is to choose items that in a few years will make your furnishings look like something out of an old movie. When shopping for items like porch umbrellas, picnic tables, etc. choose the ones that are classic in design and unlikely to lose their appeal. Wooden porch swings, for example, never go out of style and enhance the enjoyment of any outdoor design. Keeping these ideas in mind will give you a timeless and enjoyable environment that can be enjoyed for generations.

10. And Don’t Forget the Five R’s For the Green Enthusiast

Reduce, reuse, recycle, repair, and redecorate. These are the words to live by if you are truly interested in changing to a greener lifestyle. So much of our culture is geared towards being disposable that we forget that so many things we have can be repaired and reused. Sometimes all that is needed is a simple repair or a new cushion to make something as good as new. Always keep an eye out for furnishings that are recyclable or easily repaired or refinished so that you can keep it for as long as possible. And don’t forget, when redecorating, sell or give away the old; don’t simply toss it in the trash.

The switch to a greener lifestyle is a step towards helping to heal the environment one step at a time. The changes aren’t difficult at all, since all it takes is a little more awareness when you shop and an eye for the long term impact of your purchases. And by teaching out children these lessons, we can insure that these practices will continue on in future generations.

About the Author
Jay Chua, an outdoorsman and nature enthusiast, lives in Vancouver, Canada with his wife Deisy. Jay enjoyed relaxing on his hatteras rope hammock when not tending to the organic fruit trees at his yard. He also likes sharing what he knows about using green practices to decorate the garden and backyard. His website PorchSwingSets.com provides a wide array of options that keep green and durability in mind such as the pawleys hammock stand.

Whether you’re a hippy from way back, or just riding the trend of the times, Green is definitely in. Savvy moms win cool points and save cash by being eco-conscious and teach kids important life lessons about caring for the planet.

Go Green for Lunch – Ditch boring brown bags and send your kids off to school with a lunchtime statement. When you pack your kids’ lunch in eco-friendly food containers, like those made of cloth or stainless steel, you ease your deliveries to the landfill. As a bonus you might also save you a pretty penny when you stop buying those disposable containers. There are many chic steel latch tins available that come in an assortment of colors, and the hand latch even transforms the tins into the cutest lunch pail. Not only are these reusable containers a style statement, they’ll keep your perfect PB&Js from getting smooshed. Your child will appreciate not having to eat mush for lunch and you can be satisfied in reducing your child’s exposure to harmful chemicals found in plastic containers.

Give Rewards for Recycling – When in doubt, money talks. Encourage your kids to earn their allowances by participating in green chores like recycling. They’ll find out early that being green can be easy on the wallet! Home recycling services are still picking up speed in some parts on the country, so you might not know what your local municipality offers. And if you are really a penny pincher, you might even get a couple bucks out of your recycling habit. Some recycling centers will give you cold hard cash for turning in clean cans or bottles. Contact your local recycling centers to find out their policies.

Donate & Buy Second Hand – When you and your family are done with items, like clothing, toys, or furniture, donate the items to an organization of your choice. Check out many national organizations that take donations, and give back job-training opportunities. There might also be a local cause that could benefit from your lightly used items. Let your kids in on why donating is a good thing and tell them how people will benefit from their generosity. But there’s a flip side to the secondhand scene. Also teach your kid early not to be ashamed of owning secondhand items. Thrift and vintage shops are a fun way to get something unique. Take advantage of the fact that many retro styles are in fashion right now. And the bonus: Your dollar will go a lot farther than at the mall!

Secondhand shopping is great for furniture, too. Do you really want to drop $200 on that Pepto-pink dresser your 5-year wants? There are plenty of ways to indulge her creative spark without breaking the bank on furniture you probably won’t use for many years. Skip the department store and purchase a sturdy piece of used furniture at your local thrift store or antique shop. Customize the piece with a new paint job or a change of hardware. The time you spend on the project together will good ol’ bonding time away from the TV.

Make Quality a Priority – Being green doesn’t have to mean giving up glamour (thank goodness). A hip, eco-conscious mom knows that quality over quantity means you get to treat yourself and your children to high-end, well-made items. Instead of getting a lot of cheap or trendy things that will have to be replaced often, go for the good stuff in classic, durable styles. Add spice and personal flair with a few choice items from inexpensive sources like the aforementioned thrift or consignment shops. When you buy luxe, you might have to spend a bit more upfront, but you’ll see the savings over time, as you’ll have to buy less often. It’s also great opportunity to show your children the importance of taking good care of their belongings so that they can be used and loved for years. But buyer, beware! There’s a fine line between paying for quality and paying for label names. Browse various online forums to read up on products and find out what other customer’s think.

I’m Fia Caballero. I have a life long love affair with tiffins. I have collected numerous examples of the “tiffin” from a multitude of countries. Each and every one is functional and beautiful and a unique example from the country they came from.

Every day, the world’s many landfills become the resting place of tons of waste, many of which are not biodegradable, and are harmful to the environment. Many hazardous chemicals can mix in these dumping grounds and possibly leech into our water systems or into the soil, and into our food and drink. So any effort to lessen the consumption of goods that end up in these landfills is a must.

One of the major contributors to the mountains of waste in the landfills are diapers. Although these plastic and cloth wonders of technology are very convenient in terms of managing your baby’s bodily wastes, diapers can also cause diaper rash and is filled with chemicals to better contain urine or stool. Disposable diapers are also expensive in the the long-run. As a baby can go through a number of these items in a day, you can do the math.

But taking care of your baby doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank. You can still give the best to your child without sacrificing environmental responsibility. In line with this, many parents are now exploring old but tried-and-tested ways of managing the baby’s waste. Here are some ideas you may want to check out:

Elimination Communication
- More often than not shortened to ECing, elimination communication is certainly not a new concept. In fact, it is estimated that at least half of the world’s babies are toilet trained in this manner. With ECing, the use of diapers is replaced by a potty (or any similar container) as early as possible, and involves teaching the baby to communicate when he or she needs to use it. To get started, you can emit a subtle verbal cue to your baby, typically timed after feeding. This takes some practice and keen observation on your part, but if you are successful then your baby will be fully toilet trained well before babies who use a diaper. However, if you use this particular technique, then you will know that accidents are inevitable, and for special occasions you can still use a diaper as a back-up.

Cloth Diapers
- Again, like elimination communication, the use of cloth diapers has been around for a long time. Today’s parents choose cloth diapers because they are cost-effective and environmentally friendly, but many more are turned off by the amount of laundry one needs to do. Make clean-up easy by keeping a pail of water with borax or mild laundry soap beside your changing station. Once the diaper pail is full, wash them all in hot soapy water and then dry. Because cloth diapers are made up of cotton, these are less likely to cause diaper rash on your baby, as the fabric allows the skin to breathe.

Eco-disposable Diapers
- These eco-disposable products are much like the typical disposable diapers we are used to seeing, and these are touted as chemical-free and made up of wood pulp from sustainable sources. However, despite the name, many of these diapers are not totally biodegradable, as it still comes with the normal plastic outer covering. (One product claims to be entirely compostable, as it supposedly has an outer covering made up of corn products.) Another thing is that these products are not as widely available (although they can be found online and can be shipped directly to your home) and are typically a little more expensive than regular diapers. Many detractors of these supposedly eco-friendly diapers say that using these is more like paying lip-service to being environmentally friendly.

The truth is, it is still up to you to choose which product or technique to use to toilet train your baby. Do your research and decide which works for you and your lifestyle.

Bath and beauty products do more than just keep us clean, they make us look and feel our best. And in a 24/7 society where busy is the norm, a simple bath or great skin treatment can be a relaxing personal moment in an otherwise hectic day. Now more than ever, people are using bath products that are made organically through green processes because it’s not only good for them, but also good for the environment.

“Going green is more than just an environmental concept, it’s something that can have a dramatic impact on personal health…” says Justin Gomolka at Best Bath Store, a company that makes 100 percent natural bath and body, skin care and hair care products. “We’re seeing more interest in natural products that respect human life, animal life, and the environment we live in — something our entire line supports. We do not test on animals or use harmful synthetic preservatives or additives such as sodium laurel sulfate or parabens. One must be on the lookout for greenwashing, where companies claim to be natural and /or safe for the environment, but use harmful synthetic ingredients.”

These are the top bath and beauty trends of 2008:

Trend 1) Organic Soaps

When you’re washing your skin, are you using something that contains harsh chemicals? Don’t forget, your skin is your body’s largest organ and the first line of defense against disease and infections. If you look at the ingredients of your common everyday soap, you might find it difficult to pronounce the list. Animal fats and synthetic ingredients help make soaps cheap for large companies, but wreak havoc on your skin and overall health! For this reason, organic soap made from all-natural ingredients is a top beauty trend. For example, handmade soap from (www.soapalchemy.com) uses luxurious quality ingredients that include organic extracts, essential oils, and cleansing particles harvested from the earth. Because of the use of organic ingredients, this soap is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin types.

Trend 2) Safe Cosmetics / Cruelty Free / Environmentally Friendly

Traditional cosmetics and bath products can contain unhealthy ingredients. Exposure to one of these chemicals is unlikely to cause health problems, but repeated exposure can be linked to serious health issues like cancer and birth defects. More people are seeking safe cosmetics that they know won’t be causing them, their families, or any animals harm. You can do three things to help buy healthier products. First, look for products that do not test on animals or companies that are PETA business friends. Second, visit www.SafeCostmetics.org to find a list of companies that have pledged to keep their products safe from unhealthy compounds. Lastly, find out how a company packages their products and ships them. Do they use Styrofoam or corn starch peanuts?

Trend 3) Aromatherapy

Different scents have the power to trigger sensations in the brain such as relaxation, calmness, alertness and more. Lavender is a popular ingredient used in bath products that is believed to have the power to promote relaxation and relieve stress, important for today’s constantly hectic lifestyle. Lavender has been used as a natural medicine to help relieve headaches, migraines and insomnia for centuries. Other scents and herbs have properties that help keep the body balanced and healthy. More people are now looking for these ingredients in their favorite soaps and lotions.

Trend 4) Real Results from Natural Products
People want a luxurious, natural product, but they also want results from their beauty regimen. From wrinkles to acne, natural ingredients just might be the cure you’ve been seeking. For example, acne medicines made from all natural ingredients treat problem skin gently, great for sensitive skin types. Additionally, some natural ingredients may work better because the body isn’t able to build up a tolerance to its effectiveness like it often does with chemical treatment options. Natural, green ingredients also can make a difference for other beauty concerns such as wrinkles and skin tone.

Trend 5) Not Just for Ladies
Bath and beauty isn’t just for females any more. Products are being made specifically for the needs of children and men too. Fun, natural products make bath time enjoyable for kids of all ages, helping them stay clean and healthy. And men are realizing that looking their best today and in the future requires more effort than a simple daily shower. An increasing number of men are seeking out all-natural soaps, shampoos and shaving creams because these products give them better results and are better for their body.
Shop and learn at Best Bath Store, a company that makes 100 percent natural bath and body, skin care and hair care products.

Healthy Skin Care

Reducing our impact on the Earth doesn’t have to be complicated, and it can also have many benefits for our pocketbooks, as well! By reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing our use of natural resources we can significantly decrease our Global footprint. Here are some simple things that you can do today to go green.

1. Change Your Light Bulbs

A “normal” light bulb is known as an incandescent light bulb. You probably use incandescent bulbs to light most areas of your home. The trouble with incandescent light bulbs is that they generate a high level of heat while running, which wastes a lot of electricity. Thus, they are very inefficient.

Comparatively, fluorescent bulbs create light without generating heat. This allows them to be much more efficient and produce between 50 and 100 lumens per watt, making them four to six times more efficient than incandescent bulb. They also last much longer than incandescent bulbs.

Replacing your bulbs is simple. The next time one blows, simply note the wattage on the incandescent bulb and visit your local hardware or lighting store. Fluorescent light bulbs are marked to indicate their actual wattage and the comparable wattage to an incandescent bulb. This means that if you had a 60-watt incandescent bulb, you can buy a fluorescent bulb marked as 15-watts (equivalent to 60-watts incandescent).

Once all of your bulbs are replaced, you will notice a significant cost-savings in your energy bill. This is a truly win-win situation, as you will also have the added benefit of replacing your bulbs less frequently!

2. Switch to Low-Flow Shower heads

Water is a precious resource that is limited in many regions of the U.S. This natural resource is increasingly affected by our population growth: the EPA reports that the public demand for water has more than tripled since 1950.

One of the largest household uses of water is showering: the average shower takes 10 minutes and 20 gallons of water. Significant progress has been made towards creating low-flow shower heads that feel just as powerful as regular shower heads but can cut water use by 25% to 60% and reduce annual water bills by almost $100 for an average family of four people. These cost (and environmental) savings include both the use of water and the energy cost of heating it.

Installing low-flow shower heads is simple to do. Simply visit your local home improvement center and choose from the many options available.

3. Recycle

The reasons for recycling are many. First, recycled materials allow us to conserve land and use less energy to harvest virgin natural resources. Secondly, it usually takes significantly less energy to make a recycled product than it does to refine it from raw materials. Aluminum is one of the best examples: it takes 95% less energy to create it from recycled materials. Thirdly, recycling cuts down on the space and resources required for landfills.

The ease of recycling varies based on where you live. Some cities have curbside recycling bins that require you to separate items, others have you place all items in a single bin, and some cities have not yet adopted a curbside recycling program, which means that you may need to take your recycling items to a recycling center.

Typical items that can be easily recycled include paper, aluminum and glass. Plastic containers, bags and packaging can be difficult to recycle, so you have to check for the recycling code on the packaging. Better still – reuse plastic bags, or avoid them altogether, as much as possible.

Some cities pay for certain recyclable materials, so check with your local recycling center to see if you can financially benefit from your good deeds.

By taking these three simple steps, you can greatly reduce your impact on the Earth, while also making a positive impact on your wallet. There are many resources available online through government agencies to help you make green decisions about your household – check them out!

Author, Virginia Ginsburg specializes in research related to ecologically-sound life and business practices. She writes about green living and socially-conscious investing. Her company, Green Baby Gifts http://www.greenbabygiftsonline.com , specializes in gifts that are both beautiful and ecologically-sound.

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