With the weather in double digits here in Toronto, it’s temping to feel that spring is on the way! I thought you might like a few ideas on how to green up your front yard… and beyond!
1. If you enjoy eating meat, consider preparing a few meatless meals each week, and buy beef, pork and poultry that were raised locally. In a study discussed here, livestock give off methane, a greenhouse gas and large-scale farming may negatively impact habitats and surrounding water quality.
2. Help your electricity supply cut the amount of energy it has to have on hand. That means that they could reduce or eliminate dirty energy sources, such as burning coal. Do household chores that require more power outside of peak times, from making meals ahead to showering to doing the dishes.
3. Get your fingers dirty! Plant native perennials, particularly drought-tolerant flowers, grasses and shrubs that provide food and shelter for insects, birds and more. Look up native plants for your zone here. For a guide to starting seeds, have a look at Canadian Gardening.
4. Spring clean your energy use! Get a power monitor like this one and use it to find out how much power your heating and cooling equipment, appliances and electronics draw (in watts) and how much they cost you to operate.
5. When it gets warm enough to work outside, spruce up your outdoor living space. It takes some elbow grease, but by cleaning, repairing and protecting your home’s exterior, your deck or patio, your outdoor furniture and other outdoor features, you’ll prolong the life of wood and other materials. The long they last, the more you’ll keep in your wallet – and out of the landfill.
Do you any ideas for living lighter this spring?
