This week’s simple swap is a free and effortless way that can drastically reduce your carbon footprint and it is quintessential to boost biodiversity. The incredible results that promote natural wildlife can be achieved by making the most of your outdoor space with just three simple solutions which are easy to implement.
This is imperative because the UK’s mesmerising and precious wildlife is in danger of extinction according to Savour Wild Isles (a non-profit) the “UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world” losing “97% of our wildflower meadows since the 1930s” and an astonishing “quarter of all our mammals are at risk of extinction“. However there are solutions and it is not too late, there is still time, as long as we act now.
Because if we make a change it will have a real impact as 30.1% of England is covered in residential gardens, meaning England has the largest proportion of urban area attributed to residential gardens. Together we have the power to turn this around, and here is how:
Firstly, if you have grass or have the ability to grow grass, set aside areas of longer grass. By setting aside areas for longer grass it gives an opportunity for a wider variety of plants, like wildflowers to grow, attracting a range of insects, such as crickets, grasshoppers and butterflies.
Alternatively, a balcony-friendly version of this is to have a couple of plant pots designated to long grass to encourage a greater varity of biodiversity.
Secondly, another way in reducing your environmental footprint and encouraging biodiversity is to cut out the use of pesticides in your garden. Even if you are not entirely in love with the idea of sharing your garden with nature, it is a must if you are trying to become environmentally friendly.
As runoff from areas treated with pesticides can have a compounding effect which can harm plants and animals and contaminate groundwater. Not to mention, that pesticides and garden chemicals are literally designed to kill, insects and plants.
However, there is an eco-friendly swap for pesticides such as using slices of lemon to naturally repel flies and mosquitoes, but use in moderation otherwise it defeats the whole purpose.
Lastly, by swapping out peat, naturally occurring decayed organic matter, for your home compost, this will save a huge amount of emissions. This is because peat releases large amounts of stored carbon dioxide when it is harvested, which adds to greenhouse gas levels and destroys wildlife hotspots in the process. When using your own home compost by contrast, you are reusing your food scraps, eliminating the risk of the food releasing methane from landfills, (which has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere).
These changes will allow wildlife to flourish and there is the additional benefit of improving soil health and fertility and fighting against climate change. Wildlife can also help forests to store carbon more efficiently because many tree species (especially in tropical rainforests) rely on animals to eat their fruits so that they help disperse their seeds.
Your saving summary, by making these changes and by implementing these solutions of no-mow areas, switching from pesticides and garden chemicals to naturally occurring repellents and switching from peat to your home compost you will save money and save the planet.
EXTRA ECO TIP:
If you want to send a card to a special someone then consider our affordable, 100% recycled paper cards printed with water base ink and comes with seed balls so you can help the bees and also create a special memory:
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Another cheeky extra one is to subscribe to our news letter so you can get our sustainable tips regularly to help you save money and the planet.
