Tomorrow, April 22nd, marks the 41st anniversary of Earth Day, an annual effort to raise public awareness about the environment and inspire actions to clean it up. This year's celebration theme is titled "A Billion Acts of Green", an effort to encourage everyone to do something small but sustainable in their own lives to improve the planet's health. To help you get started, here's a few simple ideas of things you could do around your own home that can make a real difference.
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Making a simple switch from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs will save energy and reduce the cost of your power bills. Compact fluorescents give the same amount of visible light, use less energy, and last longer than incandescent bulbs. And although the initial cost of compact fluorescents are higher, typical usage will save on average $40 in electricity costs over the lamp's lifetime.
Plant a Tree
The simple act of planting a tree not only beautifies the landscape, it offers many environmental benefits as well. Trees improve our air quality by filtering harmful dust and pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide from the air we breathe. Trees also lessen the amount of storm water runoff, which reduces erosion and pollution in our waterways and may reduce the effects of flooding. And many species of wildlife depend on trees for habitat. Trees provide food, protection, and homes for many birds and mammals. Not only that, trees provide the oxygen that we need to breathe.
Compost
Composting offers the obvious benefits of resource efficiency and creating a useful product from organic waste that would otherwise have been landfilled. Compost is a soil amendment that can be incorporated into garden soil to help it retain moisture and nutrients. It improves the texture of problem soils and encourages the growth of microorganisms that maintain plant and soil health. And perhaps best of all, it's a free and easy way to dispose of organic waste, which decreases trash pickups and landfill usage.
Organic Landcare
Each year, thousands of tons of harmful chemicals are dumped onto neighborhood lawns, and into our water systems from lawn care companies in an attempt to keep our grassways green and weed free, with varying degrees of success. In an effort to reduce chemical wastage and over-use, Garden Supply Co.'s newest sister affiliate, Leapfrog Landcare offers a safer, more environmentally friendly approach. Leapfrog Landcare believes strongly in sustainability and supporting your local community. The majority of the products we use are produced locally and are organic. Like you, we would rather have our family hanging out on a chemical free lawn. Leapfrog Landcare is pleased to provide Compost Tea treatments, the best natural soil amendment on the planet for our local soils.
What is Compost Tea?
One of the biggest problems for lawns, trees and shrubs is normally overlooked and never truly treated. That is the soil structure. Compost Tea is an amendment that instantly goes to work balancing your soil structure and feeding your plants by releasing millions of microbes into your soil. Not only does it feed your plants, but it also causes the roots to grow deeper, which helps them become more drought tolerant. Check out this video for a look at what we do. And Happy Earth Day everyone!