In celebration of Earth Day yesterday, we want to say Happy Earth Week! We also want to share ideas for celebrating the environment through gardens: school gardens, community gardens, or home gardens. We encourage good stewardship of the natural resources that sustain our planet and contribute to the health and well-being of our community, such as water, air, soil, and plants. There are infinite benefits to a healthy ecosystem, from flood buffering to climate regulation to water quality. There are many ways to take small steps towards contributing to a healthy planet just by having a garden, and the following actions can make a huge impact.
- Create compost piles to reduce food waste going to landfills
- Use compost to build healthy soil that is full of earthworms and living microbes
- Plant flowers and herbs that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies
- Build a bat house to attract bats that will eat your pests
- Plant a tree – a fruit tree, if you can – for shade to minimize the urban heat island effect and for carbon sequestration
- Use water conservation techniques such as drip irrigation, ollas (clay pots), wicking beds, and hugelkultur to minimize water loss and usage
- Create rain gardens for stormwater runoff and water quality
- Capture rainwater in tanks or barrels to use on your garden
- Try companion planting to help minimize pests and diseases
- Create a seating area for educational workshops and events
- Take time to celebrate your garden harvest and appreciate the benefits of the environment on our health and well-being!
We hope you enjoy your Earth Day by finding time to spend outside, hopefully in a garden, and taking action towards a healthy environment!