Climate - On Your Own Accord
Recently the president made a controversial move to remove the U.S. from a climate treaty with Europe, which has a lot of people very concerned for the well-being of the planet. While I won't delve into the world of politics, I am happy to offer some positive insight on our roles in the health of our environment.
We are able to affect our environment in a positive way, simply by making great choices daily!
Isn't that a happy thought?! We control what we can through our votes, but we don't have to wait for legislation or regulations to start making an impact here at home. Some things you can do to get started:
Make a safe haven for bees by either constructing a bee house out of recycled materials, or purchasing one. (This was found on Amazon.) Plant a little lemon balm near it to keep wasps and other bee-killers at bay, so the bees are protected in their resting place. Make sure to place the bee house near flowering herbs and other plants, so they can move about easily in your garden.
Grow your own loofah (or luffa, as the seed packages usually indicate), so you don't have to rely on plastic loofahs or scrubbers for your showering and dishes. This little guy is a gourd, much like a squash, that will grow, dry out, and be cut from his outer layer to reveal perfectly dry sponge for bath and kitchen! Even better for conservationists, each gourd contains dozens of seeds. Save them for next season and continue to watch your body and kitchen cleaning products grow!
Plant items that attract butterflies to your garden. They love frost weed (for monarchs, especially), fennel, dill, parsley, pineapple sage, and basil when it begins to flower. Here is Texas we get beautiful black swallows and some monarchs, and they're such a treat to watch in the garden! Be sure to plant a butterfly "section" if you intend to eat from your garden all seasons, as the caterpillars might wander over to your herbs to investigate their tastiness.
Use less water when you can. We love to incorporate porous terracotta pots plugged with cork into the garden. Fill them with water and cover with the base of the pot to allow slow irrigation on your plants.
Use a compost bucket in your kitchen to collect coffee grounds and filters, remnants from your juicer, tea bags, veggie odds and ends, and eggshells for your garden. No compost bin outside? No problem! You can chop the pieces finely and mix the compost directly in your soil. Got pots in an apartment instead of a garden bed? Also no problem! Use your coffee grounds, eggshells, juicing remnants, and other small items in your pots. Be sure to stir them in with a little effort and place the top soil on top.
Also featured here are our "paper" towels. Use less paper and produce less waste! Visit our zero waste living categories for more info.
So you see, there are a lot of ways to conserve resources which don't require government intervention. Start at home, and you'll have a blast discovering how little resources you use while saving money, time, and the planet! We're better together, as a community of like-minded folks who just want to make this a better place.
Bless your garden,
Dallas Farmer Gal
