Natural and Sustainable

Five Steps To A Greener Yard: (Source: Conscious Choice Magazine)

• Go Native: Native vegetation requires less water (if any) and attractsbeneficial bugs, butterflies and birds, and because native plants are adapted to the area, they are more resistant to disease and pesky insects, negating the need for pesticides. The EPA’s web page Green Landscaping with Native Plants and The Washington Native Plant Society’s page are great places to start in looking for great native plants that will work in your garden.

• Eat Your Estate: You have head the stat: grocery store produce travels and average of 1,5000 miles before reaching your plate. But what could be more local than replacing your front with food for your family and your neighbors maybe. Start at these sites to give you the push in the right “gardening path”. How to Turn your Yard Into a Garden and Your Neighborhood into a Community; The Edible Estates initiative, a national project designed to replace ther American lawn with fruit and vegetable garden.

• Keep The Rain: Growing in popularity, rain gardens are depressed areas of a yard that collect runoff instead of letting the water be carried to storm drains, collecting pollution along the way. In turn, the garden feeds native wetland plants, wildflowers and animals. Try Pond Appeal under their Eco-Friendly Rain Gardens to get started.

• Swap Your Shingles: If you live in an urban area and want a patch of green, or if you are looking to utilize the space on top of your house, consider swapping your shingles for a rooftop garden. Roof plants drink in storm water, mitigating runoff. They also absorb less heat, helping control temperaturs (particularly useful in metropolitan areas. Check out Green Roofs to get some ideas on where to begin.

• Give A Hoot: If you must have a lawn, don’t pollute. Reel mowers keep the air clean. Try organic fertilizers (the new generation of products on the market is far more effective). Gather your orange peels and grass clippings from composting. Rain barrelks can help with irrigation, or conserve water by using drip irrigation systems or watering by hand. With a few changes, you’ll be on your way to a more sustainable yard. Check out Safe Lawns and In Harmony to get a good idea of how easy it is to start a change for the positives right away.

**Find out the about the wonderful world of Apple over at Apple Reporter. Kristian Freeman, walks through the 2007-2008 year, at-a-glance with Apple Inc. Read it here.**

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: When lighting a fire use sustainable matches from a sustainable company or use a refillable variety so it won’t end up in the landfills later after the flame is out.