How to Take Care of Your Share of the Planet

Creating an Environmentally Friendly Landscape

Oct 10, 2009

Hybrid automobiles and reusable shopping bags are one way to go green. But to truly benefit the environment you are trying to protect you have to start outside.

Each property owner has the opportunity to take care of their share of the planet by maintaining healthy landscapes that are beneficial to local wildlife.

Whether it’s the planting of a tree for local bird nesting, the creation of a butterfly garden, the elimination of chemicals or the choice to leave a small corner of native plants for wildlife, each small decision is a step in the right direction for preserving the natural beauty of the world around us. As development continues, these preserved habitat areas will become more and more important as safe havens for displaced wildlife.

Creating a Wildlife Friendly Landscape

However large or small, any backyard or garden space can contain some elements that provide habitat for wildlife. The four basic elements for any wildlife friendly landscape are food, water, shelter and places to raise young. And although food and water are the easiest to provide, going a step further and providing the other two necessities for wildlife -- shelter and places to raise their young – is becoming increasingly necessary to ensure the continuation of many local animal species.

Environmentally Friendly Practices

Many new homes are being built to meet the requirements for “green homes”. It is a common misconception, even among some builders, that "green" building is only concerned with energy efficiency. However, many of these programs understand the importance of starting outside and creating an environmentally friendly landscape. Elements that are included in these programs may consist of choosing native plants, using mulch and drip irrigation systems, and using integrated pest management techniques.

Although some of these techniques may be easier to put in place during new construction, all current property owners have the same opportunities to do their part to create environmentally friendly landscapes, and there are many programs available to help with their efforts.

At first, a homeowner may decide to create an environmentally friendly landscape because they feel it is the right thing to do for the planet, but they will probably soon realize that it is the right thing to do for themselves and their family, as well.

The first time that someone catches a quick glimpse of a fluttering hummingbird or watches the miraculous transformation of caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly and realizes that they played a part in attracting them, they will discover that providing habitat for wildlife adds as much to their life as it does to the world around them.

For more information about creating environmentally friendly landscapes, visit these websites:

The copyright of the article How to Take Care of Your Share of the Planet in Green/Simple Living is owned by Betsy Franz. Permission to republish How to Take Care of Your Share of the Planet in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.