Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only - not the street or sidewalk.
Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)
Purchase "Green Power" for your home's electricity. (Contact your power supplier to see where and if it is available.)
Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.
Cut back on air conditioning and heating use if you can.
Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
Many gardeners feel frustrated they cannot recycle the plastic pots, flats and trays used when planting. But that may not be such a problem in the future, reports the Chicago Tribune. The horticulture industry is making efforts to be more green.
It is often difficult to recycle planting containers, but it is not impossible. Last weekend, members of the Illinois Green Industry Association presented the American Nursery and Landscape Association with a proposal to standardize and limit the sizes and materials of pots to make recycling easier.
The ideal container is a “plantable pot” that biodegrades in the soil, but for now, the group called for easier-to-recycle pots.
Various companies are already going the biodegradable route. This spring, Wal-mart, Home Depot and Meijer stores all sold some plants in biodegradable pots. One of the world’s biggest horticultural companies, Ball Horticultural in West Chicago, started selling locally grown plants in compostable pots made in Asia from rice hulls. Ball is also trying to develop pots and trays made from cornstarch.
Other companies are using other bases to make eco-friendly pots, such as cow manure or pressed coir, a coconut byproduct.
Find out where you can recycle planting containers using Earth 911.
Earth 911 delivers actionable local information on recycling that empowers consumers to act locally, live responsibly and contribute to sustainability.
