Homeowners have a unique opportunity to Celebrate Earth Day Month all year long!

As a Homeowner, you are in a position to help make a significant positive contribution to our environment, both inside and outside of your home. By making conscious, sustainable choices in every aspect of "home", your efforts will help us get one step closer to a healthier Planet!

Begin by taking simple steps to reduce your impact on the environment and promote sustainability. Choose sustainable efforts from the following five categories where your efforts will help protect the environment, conserve natural resources, reduce waste and pollution, and preserve our planet for future generations: The 3 R's, Reduce Water Usage, Plant Gardens, Plant a Tree, and Use Renewable Energy Sources

The 3 Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: This is a simple, yet effective, way to reduce your carbon footprint and a great place to start your sustainable awareness journey.

1. Reduce: Minimize your waste by avoiding single-use items like plastic water bottles and straws, and opt for reusable alternatives like refillable water bottles.

2. Reuse: Look for ways to reuse items that would otherwise end up in the trash. For example, you can use cloth grocery bags instead of plastic bags or refillable pens instead of disposable pens.

3. Recycle: Make sure to properly recycle what you can, including paper, glass, metal, and plastic, and recycle electronics like cell phones, laptops, and televisions. Look into donating lightly used items you no longer use.

4. Compost: Start a compost bin to reduce food waste and create a rich, nutrient-dense soil amendment for your garden.

5. Shop Sustainably: Look for products made from recycled materials, and choose products with minimal packaging to reduce waste.

Reduce Water Usage: Water is a precious resource and reducing your water usage is an easy way to help the environment and ensure that clean water is available for future generations. Below are five ways to reduce water usage:

1. Fix Leaks: Check for leaks in your faucets, shower heads, and toilets and have them repaired promptly.

2. Install Low-Flow Fixtures: Replacing high-flow fixtures with low-flow ones can greatly reduce the amount of water you use.

3. Shorten Your Showers: Taking shorter showers is an easy way to conserve water, and can save hundreds of gallons per month.

4. Use a Broom Instead of a Hose: When cleaning your driveway or sidewalks, use a broom instead of a hose to conserve water.

5. Collect Rainwater: Collecting rainwater and using it to water your plants and garden is a great way to conserve water and reduce your water bill.

Bonus Tip! Lower Your Hot water Temperature: Lowering the hot water temperature not only saves electricity, it's safer for young chidren.

Plant Gardens: A most rewarding effort for immediate gratification!

Support biodiversity and beautify your outdoor living space by planting native species and perennials. Use organic fertilizers and ground amendments, especially in herb and food gardens. And NEVER use pesticides! 

Helping any part of nature—from pollinating insects to birds to mammals—begins with helping native plants thrive.

Below are five ways to give a healthy boost for pollinators and wildlife in your yard.

1. Plant native species of plants, shrubs and trees. Fruit trees grow fast and have the added benefit of producing apples, plums, peaches or cherries for your family while supporting the endangered bee populations.

Not sure what plants are native species in our area in Virginia? Not to worry.  Download this extensive free resource of Piedmont Virginia native plants and tree species- Piedmont Native Plants Guide. In out-of-state areas, check in with your county's extension service.

2. Create safe and preferably moving water features to attract bees, birds, and hummingbirds. Hummingbirds especially need shallow water to rinse "the sticky" from their bodies and wings. They love sprays but indulge for short periods at a time, as there is a bit of resource wastage with a spray.

3. Consider planting a native perennial garden. Perennials are drought resistant and provide nutrition for hummingbirds, bees, and birds well into the fall. Resist cleaning up your garden in the fall and leave the seeds and foliage to feed the wildlife into the winter.

4. Practice "farm to table" right from your yard!  Reserve some space to plant a few herbs, vegetables, and salad. The whole family will appreciate the experience. Low on space? Attractive large planters will do just fine without the weeding chore.

5. Most all flowering natives will benefit butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Early flowering spring varieties are especially important to attract and feed hungry bees: rosemary, lavender, phlox, catnip, most any native perennials, and a little later, bee balm and other mints, just to mention a few.

Bonus Tip: Build and install Bluebird nests, and they will come!

Invite a family of bluebirds to share your yard. Besides providing hours of entertainment as they rear multiple groups of fledglings throughout the summer, they are valuable mosquito and insect controllers!

Learn more about bluebirds right here on our Montague Miller blog: Build It and They Will Come

Once the wildlife finds your garden you will be amazed and delighted with their return for years to come!

Plant a Tree: Trees are essential to our planet, providing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide. Planting a tree is a great way to show your commitment to the environment and help combat climate change. Below are some ways to be involved in planting a tree:

1. Plant A Tree In Your Yard: Planting a tree in your yard is an easy and practical way to help the environment. Choose a native species that will thrive in your local climate and help support local wildlife.

However, not every homeowner has adequate space for a tree. Keep in mind, a "buggy whip" will someday mature to be larger than your house. Give thought to where your underground systems and septic lines are before purchasing a tree.

2. Plant A Tree In A Community Park: Many communities have programs to plant trees in local parks, and you can participate in these programs to help beautify your local area and provide shade and habitat for wildlife.

3. Join A Tree-Planting Organization: Many organizations work to plant trees and restore forests, and you can join these organizations and participate in tree-planting events to help restore degraded ecosystems.

4. Support Reforestation Efforts: Many countries are suffering from deforestation, and by supporting reforestation efforts, you can help restore degraded landscapes and support the biodiversity of these areas. Visit onetreeplanted.org for a healthy dose of feel-good success stories!

5. Use Tree-Friendly Products: By using paper products made from sustainable sources, you can help reduce the demand for wood from forests and support efforts to protect these ecosystems.

Bonus Tip! When you have some time, visit this website, a good read by One Tree Planted organization, focusing on ongoing environmental projects, catching up on stories from the field, and learning how businesses are helping fight climate change and getting a healthy dose of nature!

One Tree Planted is a non-profit organization focused on planting trees around the world. If you enjoy reading positive news, subscribe to their newsletter!

Use Renewable Energy Sources: Switching to renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydropower, can greatly reduce your carbon footprint and help protect the planet. By using renewable energy sources, homeowners can save on energy costs while helping to protect the environment. Below are some ways homeowners can use renewable energy sources:

1. Solar Panels: Installing solar panels on your home can provide clean, renewable energy that does not produce greenhouse gas emissions, helping to reduce your carbon footprint and impact on the environment. Solar panels can also reduce the amount of electricity you pull from the grid, significantly reducing your monthly electricity bills.

2. Geothermal Heating and Cooling: Geothermal heating and cooling systems use the constant temperature of the earth to provide heating and cooling for your home, reducing your energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

3. Green Energy Programs: Many local utility companies offer green energy programs that allow customers to support the production of renewable energy, such as community solar where customers support local renewable energy generation and receive credits on their utility bill, or green power programs that allow customers to purchase renewable energy to help offset the carbon emissions from their energy usage.

4. Wind Turbines: If you live in a windy area, a small wind turbine can provide a significant amount of electricity.

5. Hydro Power: If you live near a stream or river, a small hydroelectric system can provide clean, renewable energy.

Last But Most Important - Practice Earth-Friendly Awareness with your Entire Family.  For all of us, every day is Earth Day.

Have conversations with your children about the importance of living sustainably and identify ways that your family can improve together.

Make learning fun. Revisit these Fun Books about the environment, enjoyed by young and old, and share with your children - The Lorax, The Great Kapok Tree, Don't Let Them Disappear, All the World, The Giving Tree - are easily found in your favorite local bookstore.

Follow by example. Parents who effortlessly make mindful decisions every day to live a more sustainable lifestyle will make an impression on their children. Wouldn't it be a great day when the youth of today can identify a positive environmental improvement on our Planet within their lifetime?

Whether it's a children's book about saving the earth or community actions that motivate people to get out and appreciate nature, there are plenty of ways to 'go green' with your example and inspire others to follow along. We can do this Together!

Resources: earthday.org, palmetto.com, onetreeplanted.org