Many people don’t want to believe it, but we’re all living in a much different world than we were just a century ago. And no matter your stance on the issue of climate change, one thing that we can all agree on is that a healthy planet is good for everyone.

Recent studies in climate science have shown overwhelming evidence that the earth’s atmospheric profile has changed significantly since the beginning of the industrial revolution. And with more carbon in the atmosphere, the only direction our global temperature is going is up.

Thankfully, each one of us can help. And even the way we design our landscape and take care of our yard can have a huge impact on the environment.

Eco-friendly landscape design is also becoming quite popular as more people are starting to become environmentally conscientious. And believe it or not, but with very little effort you can have an eco-friendly yard as well.

In the following, we’ll discuss a few ways that you can make your yard an eco-friendly paradise.

Native Gardens

Perhaps one of the best ways you can make your yard friendly to the local habitat is by building a native garden. And doing this has more benefits than most people fully realize.

Native gardens are composed of local flora and grasses that grow wild within your region. As such, they are already adapted to a number of elements present in your area. And perhaps one of the best examples is that they’re great for local pollinators.

A few other benefits of native gardens are as follows:

• Can rely on local rainfall (no need for excess water)
• Accustomed to the soil type
• Local animals and insects benefit
• Helping with erosion
• No need for fertilizer
• No need for pesticides

If you need help with a native garden or planting native grasses and groundcover, checking with a lawn care specialist who knows how to care for your lawn and plants is the best strategy.

Water Harvesting

Water harvesting methods can vary. But one of the more popular methods is to use a rain barrel or build a cistern for water storage.

Harvesting water will allow you to irrigate your lawn with natural rainwater as opposed to using the regional water supply. And the less water you have to use on your lawn, the more money you’ll eventually find in your pocket.

Water harvesting also can add a unique look to your overall landscape, and it’s even something your kids might enjoy helping you build, or when it comes time to water the lawn, you can also teach your kids the benefits of environmental sustainability.

Water harvesting can also be used for drinking water if you’re up to the task of purifying it. Regardless, of all the water on the planet, we only have less than one half of a percent of available freshwater that’s accessible for human consumption. So the more water you’re able to save, the better off it is for your local area and the planet as a whole.

Organic Mulch

Organic mulch is one of the best landscaping tools there is when it comes to building an eco-friendly yard. And this is due mostly to the fact that organic mulch will eventually decompose and return nutrients to the soil.

Additionally, organic mulch such as wood chips, pine needles, bark, and the like all act as insulators of soil. And they allow the soil to retain its moisture levels. This is not only great for your native plants and grasses, mulch actually helps to keep invasive weeds at bay, so you’ll spend far less time weeding out unwanted growth in your yard.

Mulch can also be used around flower beds, in terrace beds, and placed around trees to keep a healthy soil profile. In addition, mulch can also help to mitigate soil erosion because it acts as a buffer when water runs downslope.

Further, you can be as creative as you like with mulch, and after a time, it can act as fertilizer for your entire lawn as well. And this is great because chemical fertilizers can seep into the groundwater and pollute local streams and rivers which eventually runoff into oceans, seas and gulfs, harming acoustic populations.

At the end of the day, we’re all responsible for taking care of our world. And if you love the great outdoors and enjoy spending your time in your yard, implementing the techniques listed here can actually have a dramatically positive effect on the overall health of your local ecosystem.