The idea of “going green” has become one of the world most followed trends in the past couple of years and people are looking for more and more ways to live “green” and as environmentally friendly as possible. This is done by recycling and conserving water, but living “green” can go beyond this – even your garden can be designed to be eco-friendly.

1. Reel Lawn Mowers: these lawn mowers are muscle-powered, which means there is no engine. This is definitely an eco-friendly alternative to gas-powered rotary mowers and a great way to conserve energy. They do the job, while saving energy and keeping the air clean. They make cutting long grass hard, but they are safe, quiet, save money by being low maintenance and do not pollute.

2. Healthy Soil: Keeping your soil healthy with fertilizer rich in organic matter reduces maintenance and will ultimately save large amounts of water. Some soil can keep water for longer. Healthy soil means increased life for your plants.

3. Recycle what you already have: By using rocks, bricks, wood and other discarded materials from your garden, you will not have to buy more to give your garden character and this will prevent the need for elements that breaks down nature in the manufacturing process. Pollution is reduced and fewer trees are cut for decoration.

4. Use regionally native plants: by using mostly native plants, you make maintenance easier and more cost-effective, because they will grow easier. They are adapted to the environment and will attract beneficial insects and wildlife. It will provide a better habitat for surrounding plants and animals.

5. Do not use harmful chemicals: chemicals like pesticides disturb the balance in the environment and can kill some plants and animals while polluting the ground and water. There are many natural alternatives, like certain fertilizers that repel insects.

6. Time watering correctly: water your garden at night or early in the morning. This will save large amounts of water, because watering at the hottest part of the day will cause water to evaporate and your plants can dry out.

7. Plant trees in strategic places: you can easily save energy by planting larger trees on the north side of your house. This will help keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter, when shedding trees will let sunlight through. Plants evergreens where winds are known to blow and this will further save energy in winter by reducing heating measures you will have to take.

8. Making your garden edible: if you plant your own vegetables and certain plants and spices usable in food, you will help the environment by reducing the toll farming takes. Make sure you correctly place plants that grow well together.

9. Lights that save: if you have garden lighting, equip them with motion detectors and solar-powered capabilities to save energy. Take it a step further and make your whole house solar powered.

10. Mulching: place mulching around plants and trees to keep moisture locked in for longer. If you use environmentally friendly materials, like coconut fibre mats, bark or shredded “green” paper, it will decompose and not pollute the environment.

You can, by re-designing your landscape, make the earth cleaner and be more sensitive towards the environment.

Turn your outdoor space into a natural haven of beauty and tranquility and be the envy of the neighbourhood. Creative Landscaping Gauteng’s Leading Landscaping and Garden Maintenance Professionals invite you to download your free copy of Landscape Design: The Road to a Beautiful Surroundings and turn your garden into paradise!
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Lush green rainforests may be something you’ve pictured only briefly when dreaming about a tropical vacation but did you know that the health of the world’s rainforests has a huge influence on the quality of your daily life?

The rainforest is often described as the “Lungs of our Planet”. The Amazon rainforest alone is responsible for producing more than 20 percent of the oxygen we breath! As an added bonus, by taking in carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen for us to breath, the rainforest actually reduces green house gases and fights global warming.

But sadly, we are losing the earth’s rainforests to feed the world’s ravenous appetite for cheap lumber and agriculture. Check out these statistics. You’re not going to believe them but they’re true!

54 of the world’s 193 countries have already lost 90 percent or more of their forest cover. Rainforests that once covered 14% of the earth’s land surface now cover a mere 6% and experts estimate that the last remaining rainforests could be gone in less than 40 years.
1.5 acres of rainforest are lost every second (that equates to 50 million acres a year: an area roughly the size of Oregon)
Nearly half of the world’s species of plants and animals will be destroyed or severely threatened over the next 25 years due to rainforest deforestation.
We are losing approximately 137 plant and animal species every single day due to rainforest deforestation. That equates to 50,000 species a year!
As the rainforest species disappear, so do many possible cures for life-threatening diseases. Currently, 121 prescription drugs sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources. Twenty-five percent of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients! Many more could be developed as only about 1% of tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists.
Most rainforests are cleared by chainsaws, bulldozers and fires for timber and then are followed by farming and ranching operations. In Indonesia, the current rate of logging could totally wipe out native forests within only 10 years. The forest has already been totally wiped out in countries like Haiti and Ivory Coast where barely a tree can be found anymore.

Even worse is the fact that rainforests do not regenerate as our temperate forests in Vermont do. Once gone, they are gone forever and along with them the wonderful diversity of plants and wildlife that inhabit them.

So now that you know why rainforests are a big deal, you’re probably asking yourself, “What on earth can I do about it?” Well, this is where green consumerism comes in. Everyday when you’re shopping you make choices that effect the health of the rainforest. It’s true. Do you buy products made of soy, beef or wood for example? If so, chances are very good that they are originating in the rainforest and are being produced illegally in violation of local conservation laws.

You can do you part for the environment by purchasing products that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as being green and originating from sustainably managed forests. Ask the salespeople in your favorite stores if their products are certified? Ask where they came from. You may get a few blank stares at first, but eventually you’ll be making a difference. Store owners are going to realize more and more that sustainability is important to their customers. If they are to stay in business, they are going to have to Go Green.

And YOU can make it happen.

About the Author:
Peggy Farabaugh owns and operates Vermont Woods Studios, an online furniture store specializing in high-quality, eco-friendly, handmade wood furniture from Vermont. Her education includes a BS degree in Chemistry, an MPH in environmental safety and health management and an MS degree in training and communications. Her background is in environmental health and safety education and training.

Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

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