As we continue to learn more about the world around us, our relationship with the planet grows stronger. For many, this deeper knowledge of the Earth has led to a desire to be more sustainable, less wasteful, and ultimately in control of the impact we’re having.
One of the best ways to ensure we’re doing more good than bad is to take positive, active steps in the place where we have the greatest influence – our own homes.
Perhaps most poignantly, it’s in your garden where the biggest impact can be had. This green space gives you the chance to to produce, conserve, recycle, and generate – all factors which can in turn make your wider home more sustainable and self-sufficient.
But how? Let’s take a look at some of the best steps you can take to ease the burden on the world around you, and place self-sufficiency back in your own hands.
Cultivate a vegetable garden
For centuries regular people would be forced to grow their own crops in order to survive. While you won’t have to go quite that far to make an impact, it’s definitely in the interest of both the environment and your own wallet to think about growing some vegetables at home.
Peas, carrots, potatoes, radishes, leeks, and a variety of herbs are amongst the most popular things grown by people in their own gardens. Encouragingly, a recent study found as many as 35% of people choose to grow their own produce in some capacity.
Use compost bins
Compost bins are a clever way to reuse food without letting it go to waste. Simply find a dedicated container which you can put vegetable and fruit food waste into, then let it sit and decompose over time.
While this won’t be very useful for your interior home, it will do wonders for the garden itself. In essence, you’re using the remains of previous fruit and veg to cultivate the new produce you’re growing.
Solar glass greenhouses and sheds
This experimental form of technology could be the future of the home and garden. It sees glass panels used instead of regular windows – which then absorb light to be used to power your house.
The University of Michigan are the brains behind this bright idea. They estimate that in just the US alone there are currently 5-to-7 billion square metres of window which could benefit from the use of this kind of tech. That would be enough energy to power up to 40% of the country.
Backyard wind turbines
If you aren’t ready to wait around for solar glass to become the norm, then installing a wind turbine in your backyard might be an option. Wind power has become an increasingly popular source of energy across the past decade – seeing a 715% spike between 2009 and 2020 in the UK alone.
By setting one up in your garden, you’ll be able to power at least part of your home by harnessing the force of Mother Nature. While set-up might be a bit expensive, you’ll earn back your money over time.
Have these inventive uses for your garden inspired you to make a difference? Think about implementing one of these forms of sustainable technology in the future.
