Protecting the environment is a big job. Really big. Actually, it feels a bit overwhelming sometimes, doesn’t it?
The key is to simplify. It doesn’t take much to make a difference. Just a few select tweaks and shifts can ripple outward into the larger ecosystem–starting with your backyard. Here are just four ways practicing organic land care can make a surprising impact.
Protecting Pollinators
The “perfect” lawn–closely shorn, uniform, and free of weeds–is not so wonderful if you’re a pollinator. Pollinators rely heavily on natural flowering plants like dandelions, clover, and buttercups. By avoiding the temptation to cultivate a lawn of pure green turf (and instead allowing a couple of weeds/wildflowers to poke their heads out), you’re doing your part to nourish the butterflies and bees. Skip the buzz cut and set your mower to a healthy 3 or 4 inches to make sure pollinators get a chance to feast on fresh blooms before you mow them again.
Cutting your lawn less often comes with other perks, too. In the US alone, lawn mowers consume more than 1 billion gallons of gasoline and release myriad toxic pollutants into the atmosphere. By mowing just a little less often, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. We can help you to create a landscape that is not labor-intensive and treads more lightly on the planet.
Less Water Waste
The earth may be 70% water, but that doesn’t mean it’s plentiful. Water is a precious, vital resource. Effectively using your water is a huge part of cultivating an eco-friendly footprint. That’s why native species matter. Native species are better adapted to the natural precipitation levels of your area, meaning you likely won’t have to douse them with your hose day after day. Not only are they water savers, but they’re time savers too!
Soil Regeneration
Beneath all that green grass, your soil is an important carbon sink. That’s right, healthy soil is like a carbon sponge–actually absorbing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it. But poor growing practices, like applying harsh chemicals and planting monocultures of grass, drain the soil of its regenerative life. By encouraging native, diverse plant species and eliminating use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizer, your soil can become a valuable asset in maintaining the balance of our environment. Plus, you’ll have healthier plants.
Healthier Waterways
What you put on your lawn eventually drains into nearby waterways (yes, even if you don’t live next to any rivers, streams, or oceans). But many lawn chemicals and pesticides can raise the pH of our natural water sources, which harms aquatic life, promotes the overgrowth of algae, and pollutes our waterways. Organic land care means no synthetic chemicals are used on your lawn. That means you’re keeping lots of nasty stuff out of your local lakes, rivers, and oceans.
On a practical level, being an organic steward of your land is an energy resource and cost-efficient path to a more balanced ecosystem (as well as a home oasis). At Nature Works, we’re here to help for the health of your yard and our planet. Reach out to us for support in going a little greener in your land care.