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Steps You Can Make In Your Own Yard

Some of the Many Simple Changes You Can Make

Support Local Wildlife, It was their home first

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Birdhouses

Simple additions you can build on your own or buy from your local hardware store. Looks great in all gardens and perfect for local birds as well.

Butterfly

Butterfly bush

Goldenrod, Aster, Veronica, Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, and New York Iron Weed are all great native butterfly bushes to choose from.

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Bee Hotels

This creative and fun DIY provides native solitary bees a place to nest, rest, and breed. Learn how to make one here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9-gJuDgKnU

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At Home Garden Pinwheel Crafts

These beautiful pin wheels make great additions to any garden, and help keep away pesky rodents and bugs. 

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Water Irrigation Systems

Along with saving time, money, and waste, these drip irrigation systems are a great addition to any home gardens.

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Bird Feeders

Birdseed feeders and hummingbird feeders will attract many birds to your gardens and support the local ecosystem. Win-win!

©Duncraft

Composting

  • Composting is a simple and easy method that everyone can take part in

  • All of your organic and biodegradable content can successfully degrade in your compost bin

  • You can use your compost as fertilizer and natural soil

  • Around 40% of residential waste is compostable. (Quiqley, 2007)

  • A simple bin available at home depot or one made by you can be an easy choice. 

Compost Pickup Service

Remember too: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!

  • Recycling is great for the environment; make sure to recycle any paper, cardboard, magazines, jugs, etc. 

  • Your actions send less waste to land fills 

  • Help reduce air and water pollution

  • Beautify our community by picking up any litter to dispose of in trash bins and recycling bins

  • Reuse things as much as you can - turn a food can into a cute pencil holder for your desk! 

  • Recycling is fun, get your friends involved too!!

Girls Carrying a Recycling Bin

Be Smart With Your Water Usage!!

  • Sprinklers should be used only in the mornings when it is cooler to avoid quick evaporation

  • Be on the lookout for rain patterns. There is no need to waste sprinkler water 

  • Water used for yard and landscape use accounts "for nearly one-third of all residential water use, totaling nearly 9 billion gallons per day” (EPA,2013)

  • Take quick showers, and always remember to shut off the sink when brushing your teeth and after washing your hands

 

 

Water Sprinkler

Plant Native Species and Start a Garden!!

  • Below are some great native Maryland plant species

  • Native species support the local environment, rather than hinder the natural supply chain of life in the area

  • Remember that all of these choices are available through local nurseries and much more!!

  • Gardens are also a great way to make free local produce

  • Free fresh produce in your backyard is the most sustainable choice

Gardening

©NatGeo

Black-Eyed Susan Flower

©TLCLivingGarden

BlackGum Tree

©ParksSeed

Butterfly Weed

©Fine Gardening

Twilight Prairie Blues False Indigo

©ProvenWinners

Monarda Flower

©WholesaleNurseryCo

White Oak Tree

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©TheNaturalWeb

Cardinal Flower

©Garden Goods Direct

Amazing Grace Creeping Phlox

Plant Trees, Especially Native Ones

1.

A single tree can absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over the course of its life. [1]

2.

One tree can absorb as much carbon in a year as a car produces while driving 26,000 miles. [1]

3.

Trees help fight global warming by filtering CO2 and other greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.

4.

 A single tree produces approximately 260 pounds of oxygen per year. That means two fully grown trees can produce enough oxygen annually to support a family of four! [1]

5.

Trees help reduce water pollution by absorbing rainfall and runoff into the ground and into itself, acting as a natural filter.

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6.

Trees help prevent soil runoff, especially in vulnerable areas like hills or banks. 

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7.

Trees are a natural home for wildlife including birds, insects, squirrels etc...

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Eastern Redbud ©amazon

DOGWOODALTERNATELEAFPAGODA (Cornus alter

DOGWOOD ALTERNATE LEAF PAGODA ©NCSU

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Washington Hawthorn

©ufei

HONEYLOCUST (Gleditsia triacanthos)_wiki

HONEY LOCUST ©wikipedia

[1] Facts Courtesy of Carbon Day

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