Of course we all like to save money, but more important is the fact that following the advice given monthly here is a real way to do something to help prevent the worst kind of climate change, when what we have seen so far is pretty bad. But taking action in these modest ways are a kind of insurance. Most of us believe the consequences of not having fire insurance for our homes is so great that it is prudent to invest in it, even though there is no guarantee that the fire will really come. Oddly, many people don’t realize that taking actions to help prevent more global warming is precisely like insurance. And even though there is no guarantee the predictions of climate scientists are completely true, the consequences of "business as usual" are most likely so dire that we all need to make some prudent investments in social policy and individual action.
Last time we discussed saving energy (and money) in your home kitchen.
This month we talk about saving energy (and money) in your yard and garden.
First, Yard and Lawn
1. Catch rainwater for use in garden and yard in rain barrels or a cistern.
2. Never set sprinklers so that the water is wasted on pavement or while it rains. (Seems too obvious to mention? Just look around; it happens a lot, even on Town properties.)
3. Water lawns no more than one inch/week, even if they brown in summer; they recover when rains come again.
4. Plant and maintain trees on your property. Trees sequester carbon; the longer it’s stored out of circulation, the less greenhouse effect. Besides, shade from trees when they are in leaf is famously cooling and can reduce need for air conditioning.
5. In the fall, rake up and compost leaves. Or, if you don’t have room, give them to someone who does. Burning wastes good humus and pollutes the air.
6. Layer mulch on bare ground around plants, including trees, to retain water.
Garden-Related Tips
7. Compost food and yard waste and use the result to fertilize and improve the quality of your soil. Brochures explaining how to do it are available in your Swap Shop and on line (howtocompost.org/). It can be simple & easy, or more complicated if you like. Basically, it’s a polite word for rot, and rot happens—naturally.
8. Use other organic fertilizers as well, instead of chemical ones. Surprisingly, human urine (diluted, especially mixed with wood ashes) is a first-rate organic fertilizer. Use chemical fertilizers (especially high-nitrogen kinds) very sparingly and carefully if at all. Not only does manufacturing them use fossil fuels and produce a lot of GHGs, but the runoff from heavy use pollutes the groundwater and nearby salt water, harming the local biosphere.
9. Use soaker hoses to water flower and vegetable gardens—less loss from evaporation.
10. Another way to minimize loss of water from evaporation: When you need to supplement drip irrigation, sprinkle carefully before 9 a.m. and after 7 p.m.
11. Investigate terra preta (biochar). News about how the black earth biochar (terra preta) of Amazon Indians’ gardens retained its fertility for many years has caused enterprising gardeners here to try it. Not only does adding ground-up organic charcoal to the soil improve it in several ways, it also means burying carbon, getting it out of the natural cycle.