Eco-conscious outdoor living spaces make great investments—both into your home and the planet. The best part is, there are some simple things you can do to transform your backyard space into a lush, eco-friendly outdoor oasis. Keep reading to learn eight ways to create an eco-conscious outdoor living space just in time for summer.
#1. Choose an Earth-Friendly Decor Plan
Start by incorporating as many earth-friendly features as possible in your decor plan. Here are a few examples:
- Add rain barrels and solar lights. Outdoor lighting is one of the easiest ways to go green. It’s an excellent place to start because solar lighting is so readily available—you can buy it at virtually any garden center or home store. Solar lighting collects power from the sun during the day and works to illuminate your outdoor space at night. Bring candles and lanterns outside to set a romantic vibe and reduce your electricity use.
- Choose sustainable patio furniture. As you shop for eco-conscious outdoor furniture, look for products that are built to last and made from recycled and/or sustainable materials. One great way to ensure your furniture will last is to find furniture reviews and see what past customers are saying. Teak furniture, for example, costs a bit more but is well known for its durability, strength, and beauty.
- Find eco-conscious outdoor cooking and grilling options: Outdoor entertaining is nothing without some perfectly grilled steaks and burgers, but it’s also important to stay eco-conscious when grilling and cooking outdoors. Charcoal or corn grill and natural gas are some of the greenest options.
#2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Repurpose
Your outdoor space is the perfect area to put the three Rs of green living—reduce, reuse, recycle—to work. You can take reclaimed wood and DIY it into planters and raised gardens. Use the rocks you uncovered while digging up your garden to build your fire pit. Create an eclectic outdoor lounge vibe with repurposed old furniture and swap for reusable entertainment supplies—that means saying goodbye to paper plates and disposable cutlery.
#3. Use Reclaimed Water
Use a rainwater harvesting system to create the ultimate eco-conscious outdoor hang. You can easily set up a reclaimed water system by diverting the rain from its usual runoff locations towards a huge above-ground container that collects all rainfall. Then, take that water to nourish the plants and other greenery.
#4. Use Nature to Decorate
There’s nothing more beautiful than mother nature, so use natural materials to embellish your outdoor oasis. Birdbaths, small ponds, potted plants, and succulents are all beautiful. They also provide food, water, and shelter to birds and other small animals. Use reclaimed wood, metal, stones, and rocks from the garden to create mosaics, wind chimes, planters, and other pieces.
#5. Plant an Eco-Friendly Garden
When planting your garden, opt for local plants and flowers that are easy to maintain. Unique and brilliant flowers, statues, and water features make for a breathtaking outdoor space while also creating a calm and cozy vibe.
#6. Invite Pollinators to Your Oasis
Help the planet by creating a space for pollinators to thrive, including bees, moths, butterflies, and other insects. When you grow out a garden filled with plants and flowers that are native to your region, you give insects a reliable food source. This helps reverse species decline while also supporting crops, decomposing organic waste, and controlling the pest population.
#7. Plant a Vegetable Garden
There’s nothing more fulfilling (or delicious!) than feeding your family and friends with fresh fruit and vegetables that you grow. What’s more, growing your own produce will reduce carbon emissions and waste that comes along with buying produce from the grocery store. Plus, you will avoid harsh chemicals and fertilizers when you grow your own produce—increasing the nutrients and improving the taste of the produce you feed your family.
#8. Use Smart Irrigation Systems to Save Water
If you need something a little more heavy-duty than reclaimed rainwater to water your plants and flowers, install a green sprinkler system that will help save water. Underground irrigation systems are budget-friendly and come with weather forecasting features that allow you to avoid waste and over-watering. This is especially helpful in dry areas where water conservation is key.
Are you feeling inspired to get to work on your eco-conscious outdoor living space? Follow our tips to create an eco-friendly outdoor living oasis where you and your loved ones can spend summer after summer soaking up the sun and relaxing—while also doing your part for the planet.
We’d love to see what you come up with, so please comment and let us know—and don’t forget to send pictures!