Top tips for Being … greener in the garden

Use hand dryers instead of paper towels to dry your hands within public toilets if they have them. Even though the electricity that powers electric dryers generates greenhouse gases, the production of paper towels is twice as energy intensive and creates more greenhouse gases, not to mention landfill, overall.

However, they can make us sick. Perc has been linked to cancer, liver and nervous system damage, infertility, and hormonal disruption. Residues of these toxins can remain in the fibers of dry cleaned garments; especially when clothes are placed in a plastic bag soon after processing is completed.



For this reason, it's recommended that you remove the plastic bag and air your garment out for several days in a safe, isolated, and well ventilated location to let these residues evaporate. It is better and safer not to dry clean at all. In fact, many "dry clean only" garments can be hand-washed and air dried or machine-washed using the gentle cycle and a mild detergent.

• Plant native or drought-tolerant garden plants.
• Let your grass grow longer before mowing.
• Don't use pesticides/herbicides on your lawn  Along with nitrogen fertilizer runoff, these are major water pollutants. Instead of using pesticides, attract beneficial insects to your garden by planting nectar and pollen sources; such as basil, dill, and alyssum. Use a strong spray of water to wash away aphids and mites, and use sticky traps for whiteflies. For serious infestations use insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. To rid your garden of slugs, encircle your plants with crushed eggshells.

• Try ‘grass-cycling’! This is the natural practice of leaving clippings on the lawn when mowing. These clippings quickly decompose and return nutrients to the soil. Cut your grass when it is dry and free of leaves. Mow often enough so that no more than one-third of the length of the grass blade is cut. This allows grass clippings to fall easily through the grass to the soil. This process reduces the need for fertilizers and eliminates much of the waste entering our landfills.
• Use rotting leaves in your garden instead of peat moss. It's better to leave the peat in bogs, where it's helping the environment.

• Make a wildlife friendly garden. The basic elements are: plants that create food for the animals (such as nectar and berries for butterflies and birds), nuts for the birds, a reliable water supply, shelter from predators and the weather, as well as places for animals rear their young, and the absence of pesticides and other harmful chemicals.
• Water your lawn only in the morning or evening. (Water evaporates four to eight times faster during the heat of the day.)
• Install a rain barrel to capture rain from your downspout. You can use this water to wash your car or water your garden.