Gardening for Climate Change: How to Help The Environment By Making Small Changes at Home! | FIX.com

Opt for a more naturalistic style, reduce the size of your lawn, and increase the size of your garden by adding layers of plants that support local wildlife. Plant flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.

The traditional aesthetic for North American yards and gardens requires a lot of chemicals, fertilizer, and water. By mimicking local wild areas, we can save work, money, water, and reduce fossil fuel usage.

Try planting black-eyed Susan, asters, golden Alexander, purple Prairie clover, goldenrod, and late Bonoset. These plants will help attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, which are all beneficial to your local ecosystem.

Proper placement of trees, shrubs, and other bushes strategically around your yard can help reduce the energy it takes to heat and cool your home. For example, shading trees planted on the south and west sides of your home can cool it as much as 10 degrees in the summer.

In addition to opting for a naturalistic style and planting pollinator-friendly flowers, you can also plant evergreen trees on the north side of your home to help block harsh winter winds and reduce the energy needed to warm your house.