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This is the fourth and final chapter in a series of posts about creating a greener, healthier yard for your family and the planet. Catch the whole series for more.
The summer season unfailingly brings a few wonderful things to mind--beaches, backyards, and barbecues. With so many social engagements happening outdoors, shouldn't the green living ideas you apply to your home extend into your backyard oasis? Naturally, you'll want it to be both easy on the eyes and the earth. To that, we've rounded up the perfect tools and accessories for a super summer yard.
Urban Compost Tumbler
Almost anyone who has a yard can have a compost bin, which will both churn up food scraps (keeping them from the landfill) and provide a humus-rich material for healthy lawn and garden soil. These days, there are bins to fit every lifestyle (even for apartment-dwellers), but the Urban Compost Tumbler from the Urban Garden Center (starting at $169.95), stands out from the pack. The Tumbler, available in two sizes, tilts for trouble-free access and features a rotating body that easily aerates and mixes your compost ingredients. And since it's fully enclosed, critters are kept at bay. Generating your own nutrient-rich soil was never so easy!
Rice Hull Herb Flower Pots
The difference between a simple meal and gourmet cuisine can be as undemanding as a sprig of fresh mint, oregano, or basil. Keep your tender shoots flourishing in Stonewall Kitchen's 100% biodegradable Herb Flower Pots ($14.95), complete with herb starter kits. You can reuse the pots, which are made from rice hulls, or just toss them in the compost pile when they've reached their 5-year lifespan.
Recycled Adirondack Patio Furniture
Nothing is better than kicking back with a tall, cool glass of organic lemonade in a classic Adirondack lawn chair--and now you can get an eco-friendly one. Adirondackchairs.com's 100 percent recycled plastic lumber lawn chairs are available in a rainbow of colors--from white and teak to sunset red and teal (starting at $155). The long-lasting plastic is so durable that it's used for bridges. Who knew repurposed heavy-duty construction material could look so cute?
Solar LED Spotlights
After the sun goes down, set the mood with Solar LED Spotlight landscape accent lighting ($99 for two). Since there's no electricity or wiring, installation is a breeze. Use them to line a pathway, highlight a favorite tree, or for general safety purposes. Each set includes 10 super-efficient and super-bright LED bulbs.
Recycled Glass Landscaping
Want to add a little sparkle to you lawn? Create an eco-glam flowing river of recycled glass "stones" with Recycled Garden Glass ($10.95 for 50 pounds) from Close the Loop. These little gems provide ground cover for driveways, gardens, and walkways while also helping retain moisture, which helps conserve water and reduce weeds. Available in more than 25 colors, including crystal teal, sunshine mix, charcoal gray, and forest mix, Recycled Garden Glass is a great way to add shine and personality to an outdoor space.
Wood-Handled Scythe
Looking for an organic way to remove those pesky weeds and brush that give your otherwise gorgeous yard a bad rap? Just say no to noisy weed-whackers and environmentally hazardous chemicals. Instead, pick up what they used in the old days, a scythe. Basically a wooden handle with a blade at the end, this tool makes short work of long grass in places your mower can't reach, such as briers and sumac saplings; you'll also leave a healthy dose of mulch behind. The connoisseur should go with the Austrian Scythe (available from the U.K. for about $230) has recently developed a cult-like following for it's ease-of-use, deft maneuverability, and professional results. Scythesupple.com, a U.S. retails outlet, also offers European- and American-style scythes (starting at $180).
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