Eco-Friendly Backyard

The purpose for this blog is simply to discuss how to turn your backyard into an eco-friendly space for you and your family.
Last weekend I was setting up patio furniture in my yard and took a look around and I said to myself "there has to be a way to make this look better and less cluttered!" So upon starting the "decluttering" of the yard, I came up with some ideas that would make my backyard more spacious and more eco-friendly for my family.

These are all really obvious choices that I made however, I thought I would share these ideas with you seeing as though many of you share your spaces with me.


How to make your pool more enviro-friendly:

Switch from chlorine to salt water if possible. Chlorine is a powerful chemical that is not very enviro-friendly and salt is a natural disinfectant.

If you have a heater for your pool, a great idea would be to get a solar blanket for your pool rather than use the electricity from the heater. A lot of people don't think the solar blankets work as well, however, most people would rather be swimming in cooler water anyways than in luke warm water. The solar blankets are energy efficient and will retain heat from the sun in the pool.

*If you are planning on having a pool built.. concrete pools are more eco-friendly than pools made of steel and latex liners.



Patio Furniture

Ditch the plastic patio furniture and opt for more eco-friendly types like wooden pieces. You can get patio furniture that is made from exotic wood such as Brazilian cherry which is known for being durable and resilient. You can also get really nice outdoor furniture made from recycled steel, however these tend to be more pricey....but worth it.

I recently ditched what I had and replaced my outdoor furniture with nice wood pieces, and honestly...i like the natural look of it...rather than the modern pieces that I had before.



Outdoor lighting

Switch off your patio lights! A great eco-friendly way to light up your backyard at night is by using solar lights. Although they can cost a pretty penny they are excellent for their renewable energy capabilities and they do not produce any harmful pollutants. These lights require no wiring or electricity and you can move them around in your yard.

Lawn Maintenance

If you use any lawn fertilizer make sure you go organic rather than using the harsh and abrasive types.
Avoid chemical pesticides and BELIEVE IT OR NOT "vinegar" is very very useful in killing weeds YES REALLY!! I have done it...so try it!!! Its high acidity levels are effective in killing weeds.

So those are my suggestions for creating and maintaining an eco-friendly yard!
So have fun this summer!!