Posts Tagged ‘Eco-Friendly New Year’

Six Tips for Getting Your Eco-Friendly Garden Ready for Spring

The temperatures are rising, the birds are chirping, and the buds are blooming. Spring is almost here! It’s time to get ready for the upcoming season and prepare your garden. While working to create a beautiful and spring ready garden, you can also help to create a more beautiful planet.

You might not realize it, but gardeners play a crucial role in developing a healthy eco-system. In fact, eco-gardening can even impact energy use, reduce common waste and slow down climate changes. It’s time for you to play a part in this amazing environmental impact movement! There are various ways to create a more self-sustaining environment within your very own yard that can have an incredibly positive impact on the world around us. Here are a few tips on how to make your very own eco-friendly garden!

Bugs are not the enemy. 

I think most of us can agree that some insects are downright scary. Who doesn’t scream when they see a cockroach crawling across their kitchen floor? And who doesn’t jump when a spider is spotted on their desk? However, not all bugs are the enemy!

Many bugs can enhance the sustainability of our earth and your home garden. For instance, ladybugs, lacewings, and even ground beetles help reduce the population of bugs harmful to your plants. They play a part in eating aphids (small bugs that suck the sap and nutrients from plants). Let the “good guy” help you reduce the risk and damage that could happen to your gorgeous garden.

The early bird gets the worm.

The good bugs can’t handle all those nasty bugs on their own. They need a little help from their friends. With regard to defeating those slimy snails, caterpillars, and grubs – birds are there to step in and save the day!

These guardians of nature feed on the wormy creatures that tend to destroy your blooms. It’s time to put up bird feeders around your garden to encourage more visits from our beloved bird friends.

Celebrate the natives.

Native plants are those plants that grow naturally in your region, and we should celebrate them! It’s easier to grow and sustain these plants because they’re already suited to your region’s soil and climate. Some Native North Carolina plants include: 

  • Wood-Anemone
  • Carolina Lupine
  • Eastern Blue Star

Native plants will require less effort and even less water to maintain and grow. Additionally, by growing native plants, you will also help preserve the birds and insects in your area by providing food and shelter for them. Ask the local gardening experts about the native plants in your area for more information.

[Check out this post if you want to know other ways to help the environment!]

Keep it diverse.

Healthy gardens tend to be healthiest when filled with a diverse mix of plants. Also, combining specific complementary plans can even enhance growth. Growing a tall plant, such as sunflowers, can naturally provide shade for those sensitive to the bright UV rays.

Consider which plants you want to live in your garden because some plants can hinder others’ vitality. Do your research before planting so that you don’t risk the deterioration of plants in your garden.

Keep composting cool.

Although you can quickly run by Lowe’s to buy dirt, why not participate in composting for creating your soil? Composting is not only simple, but it is also becoming more and more common.

Plus, it provides additional nutrients that your garden needs to grow. Set up a composting bin in your yard, save money at the local gardening store, and protect the environment!

Remember the 3 Rs. 

Reduce, reuse, and recycle – our three favorite “R” words! Yes, it’s easy to use everyday packaging for your plants, but why not recycle your plastic bottles and use them to enhance your garden?

Protect your seeds with those used water bottles by cutting off the base and placing them around your future blooms. Or reuse your recycled plastic a make a DIY watering can for your thirsty crops.

Developing an eco-friendly environment this spring will not only brighten up your home garden but will also play a huge role in making Mother Nature healthy and beautiful. Home gardening promotes a healthier environment and sustainability. Sustainability is all about implementing good habits to help our planet.

At Carolina Fibre Corporation, we believe in sustainability, whether it’s gardening, composting, or recycling.

Five Eco-Friendly New Year’s Resolutions

New Year’s resolutions are usually the perfect balance of terrifying, overwhelming, and cliché. They hold you accountable, will push you out of your comfort zone, and force you to reevaluate your life. Or it’s just the opposite, and you come up with something stale and boring – a goal you will forget about in two weeks and will never be reached. 

While most of the trendy New Year’s resolutions are based on personal betterment, the New Year is also the perfect occasion to think about ways you can positively impact the planet. Keep reading to check out five small changes you can implement in 2021 to help the environment!

Go paperless.

Not only will this contribute to your clutter-free resolution, but it will also help the earth. We live in a digital world, but there are still many things that inexplicably still use paper. Studies show that Americans use a lot of paper, and it’s hurting our environment. 

Fortunately, there are many places where you can opt-out of paper. Some of those areas include:

  • Sign up for email statements and online digital payments.
  • Request no receipts at grocery stores and Fast-Food restaurants. 
  • Utilize apps for keeping a calendar, creating a to-do list.
  • Consider switching your favorite print media to an online version. 

Green up your commute. 

Vehicles have a significant impact on our environment, and it’s not a positive one. According to the EPA, vehicle transportation accounts for more than 30 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions.

Anything you can do to reduce your transportation footprint this year by walking, biking, taking public transportation, or telecommuting, even if it’s just one day a week, will help both the environment and your wallet.

Start composting. 

Composting is an incredible way to give back to the planet. There is a common misconception that food simply breaks down in a landfill without any issue. However, those veggie scraps from that salad you made will rot and produce methane gas if not composted.

There are several ways to compost but if you don’t have a garden, try collecting your food scraps and keeping it in the freezer during the week. When you’re ready, bring the leftovers to your local farmer’s market if they have a compost station. You can also ask your local natural foods store if they compost.

Invest in reusable items. 

Investing in reusable items like shopping bags and water bottles will make a huge difference. Because they aren’t easily recycled, plastic bags end up in landfills; however, they don’t always stay there. They’re so lightweight and end up being lifted by the wind and polluting nature, interfering with our water sources, our trees, and animal habitats. Buying a reusable shopping bag is a low-cost, one-time purchase that could significantly impact the environment and will greatly cut down on your plastic consumption.

While you’re at it, make a small investment in a reusable coffee tumbler to bring to your favorite coffee shop and a water bottle to fill up wherever you go. It will be a big investment in our planet’s future.

Revamp your family’s eating habits.

The food we eat is energy for our body, so it’s crucial to think about what we’re introducing into our diet.

Try buying fresh, organic food, fruits, vegetables, and eggs as much as possible. Visiting your local farmer’s market is great for your health and the planet. You’re supporting local organic farming that doesn’t involve pesticides or excessive transportation. You’re also helping out a local business owner who appreciates your support – it’s a win-win! 

Cutting down on meat, even just one day a week, is also an eco-friendly resolution. Get your whole family involved by introducing meatless Mondays and asking for their input on creative meatless menu items. 

Now that you’re equipped with some attainable and sustainable resolutions for 2021 pick some and start saving the world! It may not seem like much, but small commitments like not using plastic straws and buying reusable shopping bags can have a lasting impact on our environment for years to come. 

Hopefully, these ideas will get you started to a greener, more sustainable lifestyle for the New Year. However, if you still have concerns about recycling and eco-friendly living in general, Carolina Fibre is here to help. Check out our blog for more tips, or contact us today!