Traditional landscaping may be aesthetically pleasing, but it also causes many harmful effects on the environment that some homeowners may not even realize. By adopting eco-conscious practices while working outdoors, you can help to eliminate these negative results in your neighborhood.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the clearing of natural habitats for urban and suburban growth and the planting of grounds with large lawns and manicured arrangements of exotic plants place a large toll on environmental health as well as human health.
Extravagant landscaping requires the extensive use of mechanical equipment, the consumption of limited natural resources, the frequent use of fertilizers and pesticides and the production of solid waste. The results of these requirements are, according to the EPA, polluted surface ground waters, destructive flooding and disrupted neighborhood tranquility and air quality.
Although there are numerous ways these problems can be resolved, below are four solutions that are relatively simple and can make a significant difference on the environment.
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1. Use reel lawn mowers
- Reel lawn mowers are a green alternative to gas-powered mowers and can save on energy consumption because they are muscle-powered.
- The EPA suggests stabilizing slopes with natural plantings, mulching around plants and installing drought-tolerant plant species.
- The residential application of harmful pesticides is typically 20 times that of farmers per acre, which ends in unintended results, according to the EPA.
- Native plants have evolved to local conditions over millions of years, and they form an essential part of the life cycles of local wildlife.
2. Conserve water and soil
3. Avoid the usage of pesticides
4. Make use of local plants
If you’re interested in green landscaping and live in metro Detroit, be sure to check out Eco-Logic Lawn and Landscape listed in our Green Homes Services Directory.
Jennifer Griffin, Contributing Writer and Public Relations, GreeningDetroit.com
Jennifer is pursuing a degree in Journalism and English from Wayne State University, and she is also a Contributing Writer for The South End.
