Want an Eco-Friendly Backyard? Try These 15 Green Ideas

Want to make your backyard more environmentally friendly? Give your backyard a green overhaul! From planting a native garden to installing solar lights, here are 15 green upgrades for your backyard!

Try Organic Mulch

Consider landscaping with sustainable materials like organic mulch, which regulates soil temperature, holds moisture, and reduces weed growth, helping your plants thrive in your garden! Some common organic mulch types include wood chips, shredded bark, straw, leaves, and grass clippings.

Invite Pollinators into the Yard

Help the earth by creating a space for pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, and other insects to feed! By growing a garden filled with flowers and plants native to your region, you can give bugs a reliable food source. Not only does this help reverse species decline, but it also supports crop and produce growth, decomposes organic waste, and controls the population of pests.

Plant a Native Garden

If you want a backyard makeover with eco-friendly updates, do some native landscaping! Planting greenery and flowers that are native to the region you live in will not only save you money but also eliminate the need for harsh fertilizers and pesticides. Plus, since they thrive in their own environment, you won’t have to use as much water for their upkeep.

Grow Your Own Fruits & Vegetables

Having a garden full of fresh fruit and veggies can be both a fun project and great for the earth! Growing your own produce helps reduce carbon emissions and the waste that comes with buying grocery store produce. Plus, you can avoid harsh fertilizers and chemicals when you grow your own food because they aren’t essential to use in home gardens.

Add a Compost Bin

Looking for ways to reduce your waste while also improving your backyard garden? Try composting! Compost bins enrich your soil, reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, and help eliminate methane emissions on top of other benefits. Decide whether you want to purchase one or build a DIY compost bin, then place your bin somewhere with plenty of shade and access to fresh air and water.

Utilize Xeriscaping

Live somewhere that doesn’t get much rain? No worries! With xeriscaping, you can have a lush backyard while still being eco-friendly! Xeriscaping is a landscape design consisting of regional, drought-resistant plants, meaning you don’t have to use much water to have a beautiful and sustainable yard. This can help you save water and money, as well as eliminate the need for pesticides and fertilizers!

Opt for More Sustainable Hardscape

Hardscaping can be an eco-friendly way to landscape your yard. Instead of having a large lawn to water and take care of, a hardscape can break up the space with walkways or replace grass altogether. This helps limit water runoff, prevent erosion, filter pollutants, and improve the health of soil and vegetation. A few sustainable materials to use for hardscaping include porous concrete, urbanite, and decomposed granite.

Go Grassless with a Synthetic Lawn

Maintaining a grass lawn requires lots of water and energy. A greener alternative is artificial grass. While a synthetic lawn may be more expensive to install, you greatly reduce your water usage and eliminate the need for fertilizers and seed. Upkeep is also much easier because you don’t have to spend as much time and energy mowing or weeding. Plus, turf has a life expectancy of about 25 years!

Save Water with Smart Irrigation

Whether you need to care for your grass, flowers, or other plants, think about installing a green sprinkler system to help you save water. Underground irrigation systems with efficient sprinkler heads are less expensive, and many come with weather forecasting features to avoid waste and over-watering. This can be especially beneficial in drier areas where water conservation is vital.

Harvest Rainwater with a Barrel

One green backyard idea is to harvest rainwater with a rain barrel. This collects rain runoff from your roof and allows you to repurpose it for other uses like watering your lawn or plants. This is a great way to reduce your water usage while also adding a unique rustic look to your outdoor space.

Get Eco-Friendly Lawn Tools

When it comes to caring for your backyard, there are great eco-friendly options for tools. Electric lawn mowers and leaf blowers are a good alternative because they require much less energy and don’t rely on gas to function. In fact, the typical mower releases 87 pounds of carbon dioxide, so investing in an electric mower can greatly reduce your carbon footprint. Similarly, push-powered mowers or battery-powered edgers and trimmers are other good eco-friendly alternatives to consider!

Upgrade Your Outdoor Lighting

When it comes to exterior lighting for your backyard, solar lights are an excellent green option. Not only are they cost-efficient and easy to install, but they’re also more energy-efficient than traditional lights. And with options from path lighting to string lights, you can design your yard lighting exactly how you like!

Install Solar Panels

Installing solar panels on the exterior of your home is an outdoor upgrade that can greatly reduce your energy bills. The panels soak up energy from the sun to help power your home and reduce dependency on fossil fuels like gas. Even when it’s cloudy, solar panels still draw energy and produce around 10-20% of the power generated on regular sunny days. Basically, installing solar panels is a great idea no matter where you live!

Buy Outdoor Furniture with the Planet in Mind

When it comes to choosing outdoor furniture, there are tons of ways to have a comfortable and cozy backyard that’s also eco-friendly! Search for furniture made of organic materials like bamboo, organic cotton, and sustainable woods. Other green options include outdoor seating made with recycled plastic or buying furniture secondhand!

Look into a Natural Swimming Pool

If you want to have a swimming pool in your backyard, build a sustainable natural pool! Natural pools don’t require the use of harsh chemicals like chlorine, making them better for you and the environment. Plus, they save you time and money because their yearly maintenance costs are much lower. Natural pools can also blend in with the rest of your yard’s landscaping, so you can design a beautiful eco-friendly oasis!

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