The journey of minimising our carbon footprint goes on, but don’t worry, there are many actions we can take to make this an enjoyable experience. We’ve already mentioned that everything we do has some sort of carbon impact, which is why knowing how to offset it, is just as important as reduction. Our small changes can make a big difference, and each time we do an activity to offset carbon footprints, we improve it that little bit more.
Green spaces have been filling our news feeds for years; most of us are aware of the demand to plant more trees. One thing that perhaps isn’t explained is why it’s so essential to enrich green spaces. The answer is that nature helps us offset carbon footprints. While we need oxygen to breathe, plants need CO2. The more green spaces we have filled with trees, bushes and plants, the more we can offset our carbon footprint.
Although the challenge is global, it begins in our own green spaces.
How to offset your carbon footprint in your garden or outdoor space
Make compost
Compost can be accumulated from your food and garden waste to help enrich the soil your plants grow in. It’s a great step which help offset carbon footprints as you prevent a lot of waste heading into landfill. Even though biodegradable waste goes into landfills, it can take years to do so and potentially creates more harmful gases. If you’re interested in making your own compost, make sure you know what items you can compost, then check out this tutorial.
Make your own mulch
It’s another DIY effort but once you’ve made your own compost, you may as well take the next step in making mulch. Mulch is excellent for adding a protective layer over your soil, resulting in healthier plants. Making mulch can offset carbon footprints the same way making anything at home can, your decrease the demand for shipped items from across the world.
Dig a pond
Much like our plants, ponds are also great for feeding off of CO2. If you have the space to facilitate a pond in your garden, it could be a ribbeting success! Not only can it help to offset carbon footprints, but it can also bring an abundance of wildlife into your garden, helping them to thrive. If you want to dig your own pond or water feature, check out one of our previous blogs.
How to offset at your allotment
Plant a tree
We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again! Plant more trees! Allotments are great for growing fruit and veg to enjoy, but there is no reason why you can’t plant a small tree. It’s a great way to offset carbon footprints, but you can also pop a little bench under it to enjoy some shade during those hot summer days.
Use hand tools
This might not seem so straightforward at first, but when you remember that a lot of powered gardening tools use petrol, the penny drops. You may find yourself spending more time with each activity, but you’ll make an important move in offsetting your carbon footprint.
Avoid digging
Isn’t digging the main activity with gardening? Yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s always necessary. Soil holds and stores CO2 (more than plants, wildlife and the atmosphere combined across the earth), so when you dig it up, you release it into the atmosphere. While this action isn’t always avoidable, there are times when it is. Weeding by hand is a great way to start.
Remember those composts and mulches we spoke about? By using them, you can help keep the soil rich which leaves little reason to dig it up. If you want to discover more on how to achieve no-dig gardening, check out this method.
How to offset carbon footprints inside your home
Not all of us have a garden or allotment to help green spaces thrive, but it doesn’t mean we can’t help out. If you’re trying to discover how you can get green-fingered in your flat with no outdoor space, look no further, read our blog: No space for houseplants? Think again. Once you realise it is possible to grow indoors, these actions can help offset carbon footprints in the home.
- Plant from seed instead of purchasing imported houseplants
- Grow more plants, including edible ones
- Create a living wall using recycled items
When you look closer at green spaces, you see there are a lot of versatile ways that can help offset carbon footprints. Better yet, there really isn’t a reason why we can’t all get involved in doing it. So the next question is… what will you do first?
