Looking for simple ways to reduce your
carbon footprint? Why not start in your own backyard? Most people don’t think
of gardening when they think about saving fuel or energy. However, growing a
backyard garden can save significant amounts of fossil fuel and reduce the
carbon emissions.
You will save about two pounds of
carbon from entering the atmosphere for each pound of produce you grow for your
family, according to Carbonrally. That is because most produce
sold in stores must be shipped, often for thousands of miles, and requires many
gallons of fuel to get to your table. Your backyard garden will also save you
gas. The more yard you have dedicated to a garden, the less you will have to
mow!
Saving energy is only one good reason to grow a garden.
Here are several more:
1.
Lower your grocery bill.
Growing some of your own food in your backyard can put a
welcome dent in your food budget during the growing season and beyond. Consider
this: the average price for fresh tomatoes in the supermarket is about $2 per
pound. Most gardeners get 10 or more pounds of tomatoes per plant. That adds up
to at least $200 worth of produce for a modest five tomato plants, which can
typically be purchased for about $2 apiece from the garden center. If you grow
from seed, the savings are even more: a typical packet costs less than $2 and
usually contains enough seed to meet your needs for more than one season.
If you have a small yard, you may think you don’t have
enough space to grow food for your family. However, it only takes about a tenth
of an acre to produce most of the vegetables one person will eat in an entire
year, according to gardening expert Maria Iannotti. Even a small garden plot
can produce significant food. For example, you could grow the five tomato
plants mentioned above in only about 30 square feet if you trellis them. Even
if you have no yard, many vegetables are easy to grow in containers on your
porch or balcony.
2.
Improve your health.
Eating fruits and vegetables is a proven way to stay
healthier.Many studies have found that people who eat more fruits and
vegetables suffer less from cancer and chronic diseases such as heart disease,
gastrointestinal disease and impaired vision. It’s a lot easier to get more
vegetables into your diet when they are growing affordably right in your backyard!
Your own vegetables will taste better, too, because you can eat them when
they’re freshly picked and still contain the maximum amount of flavor and
nutrients.
Good-tasting food isn’t the only heath benefit gardening
offers. It’s also an easy and enjoyable way to spend time in the fresh air and
sunshine getting healthy, moderate exercise. Most people agree that gardening
is pleasant and relaxing, and it has actually been clinically proven to can
help alleviate stress.
3.
Help save the bees.
Bees are vital to our economy and to the environment
because they are such excellent pollinators. Many farmers depend on bees to
ensure good crops. However, our bee population is at risk due to colony collapse disorder. Therefore it’s important to help
bees in any way we can.
Planting a backyard garden is an excellent way to ensure
that the bees and other beneficial pollinating insects survive in your area.
Although many common garden vegetables, such as cucumber and squash, have
flowers that attract bees, planting flowers and herbs in your backyard garden
will make them even happier.
4. Teach your kids about nature and
healthy living.
If you have kids, there is no better way to introduce
them to healthy habits than to involve them in growing a garden. Children are
much more likely to want to eat vegetables they have grown themselves. Most
kids are excited to watch tiny seeds sprout and grow.
Gardening is also a very easy and accessible way to
combat “nature deficit disorder” — a term used to describe the increased
alienation and stress experienced by children who grow up without being able to
interact with the environment. By playing in the garden and observing the
plants and animals in it, children learn valuable lessons about living things
and their own relationship to the environment.
5.
One last reason to start a garden may be the biggest bonus of all:
gardening builds community.
It seems that few people know their neighbors anymore,
but when you spend time outside in your yard you may find yourself chatting
with the neighbor over the garden fence. And once you realize you have planted
more green beans or tomatoes than you could ever use, you’ll be surprised how
delighted people are when they see you come their way!
Komentar
Posting Komentar