Save precious water
Firstly, get a water butt for collecting rainwater. This is good for your plants, it's more economical and unlike tap water, it doesn't need lots of processing and transport which leaves behind a hefty carbon footprint. Some councils even provide water butts so be sure to ask for yours. Don't be too quick to water thirsty lawns. They can survive long periods of dry weather if the grass is not cut too short. Even if the grass turns brown, it will quickly recover after a few days of rain. After mowing, leave grass cuttings on the lawn. Water plants in the cool of the morning to stop it all evaporating or leaves being burnt by the sun.
Feed the soil
You can compost nearly all your food waste, garden waste (not weeds) and cardboard. Not only will this save you from buying compost, but means your waste won't end up in landfills giving off harmful methane – which is even worse for the environment than carbon dioxide. Compost bins might be available from your council, or you can make your own by cutting off the bottom of an old bin.
Go peat-free
If you do buy compost, make sure its peat-free, over 90% of Britain’s peat bogs have been damaged or destroyed. Around 70% of peat today is used by gardeners as potting compost. Peat bogs are thousands of years old and are really important for protecting our wildlife, understanding our climate and managing our environment so we need to protect them. Peatbogs are amazing at storing harmful CO2. On average they store 10 times more carbon per hectare than any other ecosystem, including forests.
Use natural fertilisers and pesticides
Chemicals can kill wildlife and even cause environmental damage if they find their way into streams. Always opt for natural organic options. For example, salt spray, eucalyptus oil and garlic can all be used as natural insect repellent. Coffee grounds, eggshells and wood ash work well as substitutes for chemical fertilisers.
Choose natural décor
Go for natural or recycled materials for your garden when picking decorations and furniture. This helps to reduce the demand and disposal of plastics. Try charity shops, newspaper classifieds or groups online for people selling or even giving away play equipment in furniture. When buying new, avoid tropical hardwoods such as teak that are fast disappearing and check for the FSC mark to make sure the wood is from a sustainable source.
Grow your own food
The carbon footprint created by the production, processing and transport of our food is huge. Help to reduce emissions by growing your own. Even a small space in your garden dedicated to growing root vegetables will save you money and do a little bit more for the planet. One of the easiest fruits to grow is the cooking apple. Just one tree should give you several weeks of delicious pies and crumbles. And if you don't have a garden, you can grow all kinds of things on a sunny windowsill - try chillies, Peppers, tomatoes, and basil for starters. If you're growing veg, place mulch around the plants to help the soil retain moisture and prevent weeds from growing. You can make your own mulch using homemade compost, a layer of tree bark, peat-free compost, or even newspaper.
Want to do more?
Your local Wildlife Trust is a great starting point for ways to protect wildlife and wild places and combat the climate and natural emergency. They have lots of ideas for wildlife gardening and provide opportunities for volunteering, visit www.wildlifetrusts.org/gardening
What we’re doing
Tree planting
We are supporting Durham County Council's Urban Tree Challenge Fund, by providing areas of Karbon Homes’ land for tree planting where the urban forest canopy is currently thin.
Recycling green waste
Wherever possible the green waste we generate is sent to recycling plants where it is turned into compost or soil improver.
Ditching petrol
We are switching away from petrol machinery to the new generation of battery powered equipment.
Greener weedkillers
We're looking at trialling ways to reduce our use of glyphosate weedkillers in our ground maintenance work.
Save precious water
Firstly, get a water butt for collecting rainwater. This is good for your plants, it's more economical and unlike tap water, it doesn't need lots of processing and transport which leaves behind a hefty carbon footprint. Some councils even provide water butts so be sure to ask for yours. Don't be too quick to water thirsty lawns. They can survive long periods of dry weather if the grass is not cut too short. Even if the grass turns brown, it will quickly recover after a few days of rain. After mowing, leave grass cuttings on the lawn. Water plants in the cool of the morning to stop it all evaporating or leaves being burnt by the sun.
Feed the soil
You can compost nearly all your food waste, garden waste (not weeds) and cardboard. Not only will this save you from buying compost, but means your waste won't end up in landfills giving off harmful methane – which is even worse for the environment than carbon dioxide. Compost bins might be available from your council, or you can make your own by cutting off the bottom of an old bin.
Go peat-free
If you do buy compost, make sure its peat-free, over 90% of Britain’s peat bogs have been damaged or destroyed. Around 70% of peat today is used by gardeners as potting compost. Peat bogs are thousands of years old and are really important for protecting our wildlife, understanding our climate and managing our environment so we need to protect them. Peatbogs are amazing at storing harmful CO2. On average they store 10 times more carbon per hectare than any other ecosystem, including forests.
Use natural fertilisers and pesticides
Chemicals can kill wildlife and even cause environmental damage if they find their way into streams. Always opt for natural organic options. For example, salt spray, eucalyptus oil and garlic can all be used as natural insect repellent. Coffee grounds, eggshells and wood ash work well as substitutes for chemical fertilisers.
Choose natural décor
Go for natural or recycled materials for your garden when picking decorations and furniture. This helps to reduce the demand and disposal of plastics. Try charity shops, newspaper classifieds or groups online for people selling or even giving away play equipment in furniture. When buying new, avoid tropical hardwoods such as teak that are fast disappearing and check for the FSC mark to make sure the wood is from a sustainable source.
Grow your own food
The carbon footprint created by the production, processing and transport of our food is huge. Help to reduce emissions by growing your own. Even a small space in your garden dedicated to growing root vegetables will save you money and do a little bit more for the planet. One of the easiest fruits to grow is the cooking apple. Just one tree should give you several weeks of delicious pies and crumbles. And if you don't have a garden, you can grow all kinds of things on a sunny windowsill - try chillies, Peppers, tomatoes, and basil for starters. If you're growing veg, place mulch around the plants to help the soil retain moisture and prevent weeds from growing. You can make your own mulch using homemade compost, a layer of tree bark, peat-free compost, or even newspaper.
Want to do more?
Your local Wildlife Trust is a great starting point for ways to protect wildlife and wild places and combat the climate and natural emergency. They have lots of ideas for wildlife gardening and provide opportunities for volunteering, visit www.wildlifetrusts.org/gardening
What we’re doing
Tree planting
We are supporting Durham County Council's Urban Tree Challenge Fund, by providing areas of Karbon Homes’ land for tree planting where the urban forest canopy is currently thin.
Recycling green waste
Wherever possible the green waste we generate is sent to recycling plants where it is turned into compost or soil improver.
Ditching petrol
We are switching away from petrol machinery to the new generation of battery powered equipment.
Greener weedkillers
We're looking at trialling ways to reduce our use of glyphosate weedkillers in our ground maintenance work.
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