One of the most important aspects of gardening and yard maintenance is the need to adapt to the local environment. In addition to cuttings and yard waste is the need to recycle cardboard at the recycling center and participating in the dish to dirt program. It’s something that becomes a habit when you begin to look at things from an environmental prospective. It can be what some see as our own personal footprint. Our responsibility doesn’t end with just putting the trash out for the weekly pickup.
Taking care of our yard and choosing landscaping that not only improves our property but also inspires our neighbors to do the same is important. If our yard is unkempt, it can discourage our neighbors and those around us from caring about theirs. When I worked as a Neighborhood Specialist in Florida on cleanups and master plans, the most common sentiment I heard was, “Why should I care if my neighbor doesn’t?”
It’s incredible how planting a few flowers and taking care of our property’s appearance can brighten up the neighborhood. More importantly, it can boost our property values. Our home is the biggest investment we’ll ever make, and down the line, its value will depend entirely on how well we’ve maintained it.
One of our biggest decisions is often how we choose to spend our time. Should we spend all our leisure hours at home watching Wheel of Fortune, or dedicate some of that time to improving our property and nurturing the nature that relies on us? Recycling our yard waste and learning about the resources that are available are important. We all should make a commitment to do what we can… if we have, we can say we’ve contributed a little but in the long run it can be a lot.
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