• July 19, 2022

Fun and Eco-Friendly Ways to Spruce Up Your Backyard

Do you want to make your home feel like new and help the environment? Instead of going for interior renovations, you should also consider some outdoor remodeling projects. Residents of temperate climate areas enjoy great weather for much of the year, so there’s no excuse to forgo a few exterior upgrades.

Here are some fun tips for not only renovating your backyard, but also providing positive benefits long after construction is complete.

Don’t just remodel, recycle

One of the greenest approaches to home renovation is recycling. Too often, homeowners think of recycling as an environmentally friendly way in which they sort items they intend to throw away. For example, broken glass can be used to create a nice mosaic in the backyard.

When remodeling your backyard, make the green and affordable decision to move on to new outdoor furniture. A couple of sensible alternatives include going to yard/garage sales or visiting a thrift store. You can also repair and reuse old indoor furniture.

Tree houses: not just for kids

Just like with coloring books, tree houses they are no longer a “just for kids” pastime. Although if you have children, building a tree house could be an amazing and memorable outdoor project. The cost to remodel your yard to include a treehouse can range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of thousands of dollars.

Whatever your budget, We Are Wilderness suggests contacting a arborist to determine which type of tree is right for your project. Increase the ecological benefits of your tree house by using as many recycled materials as possible, such as wooden pallets and wood scraps.

Before planting, plan

Adding plant life to your backyard is a practical and obvious way to help the environment. Earth911 suggests choosing local plants over exotic options. If your home already has non-native plants, consider them “non-native grass with wildflowers or shrubs.” A well-placed tree can provide the right amount of shade to even reduce energy use.

Before you just plant locally and leave, make sure your plants help, rather than harm, the local ecosystem. You may be surprised to learn that some plants, while beautiful, have a very bad reputation. For example, purple loosestrife, once a very popular addition to gardens, is now banned in many states. The reason? Home and Gardens writes, purple loosestrife “spreads too easily into wild areas, choking out other plants.” It’s best to contact a local expert to confirm that the plants you add are “not invasive or aggressive.”

Create a beautiful garden

Speaking of planting, why not turn a part of your backyard into a garden? A well-maintained garden can lower grocery bills and help you and your family eat healthier. Be sure to release helpful insects like ladybugs in your backyard, as they are known to eat crop-damaging insects like black fly.

By digging a shallow depression, you can create a rain garden. Rain gardens collect and absorb rainwater, which in turn removes pollutants and reduces erosion.

Build a separate room or study

Not enough space in the house? Instead of knocking down walls, opt for a separate bedroom or study. Create a special playroom for the kids or a quiet place to work during this new construction in your home. Whatever purpose you choose, use eco-friendly materials like real linoleum, which comes from linseed oil, bamboo, cork, or reclaimed woods.

It’s amazing what a few touches of outdoor remodeling can do, not only for the look of your home, but also for the environment. You don’t have to break the bank to do what’s right for the planet. But if a new construction project on your home is on the horizon, it wouldn’t hurt to think of ways to make your home a little greener, both inside and out.

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