Our top 5 tips: How to reduce your carbon footprint in the garden.

One of the biggest issues facing mankind – other than pandemics – is the state of the environment. In fact, these days it behoves us to be as environmentally friendly as possible – and it all starts in the home.

Plastic, once deemed a wonder of science, has become the blot on most landscapes, especially in the sea.

Do you have any interesting ways that you re-use plastic in your garden or home?

Send through all your wonderful ideas to us and get yourself featured on our Facebook page!

If you don’t have any ideas as to what you can do to lessen your carbon footprint; and how to either re-cycle, up-cycle or re-use your ‘waste’ then read on.

Firstly, buying products with less packaging is the way to go. Let brands and stores know that you’d love to buy their product but there’s just way too much packaging. Voting with your wallet is the best way to get a company’s attention!

Obviously it’s difficult to keep waste down when there are certain things you need to get. Look around for those that offer refill packs instead of having to buy another plastic bottle. It is important to remember that many things are not recyclable such as: chip packets, sweetie papers and cling wrap. These items add to our ever-growing carbon footprints.

Hadeco would like to introduce you to the eco-friendly eco-bricks. They’re so easy to make, even a child can do it (schools usually teach kids how to do it and send their end results off to communities that are building with them).

All you need is a 2 litre cold drink bottle and something to stamp the filling down with. Keep filling and pressing down until it’s completely full and then stand on it to ensure it doesn’t buckle at all. Pop the lid back on and there you go! Store it until you have a whole lot to donate.

Our second tip involves taking a 2 litre plastic bottle that may be left behind after making eco-bricks and using them as an innovative pot for your new bulblets or seedlings that are not strong enough for the outside garden. These can be used over and over again and are so easy to make.

Step 1: Take a 2 litre bottle and cut it in half.

Step 2: Create 2-3 small drainage holes at the bottom of the bottle to ensure the bulblets/seedlings do not drown.

Step 3: Decorate the pot to your hearts content and enjoy your reduced plastic waste.

Hadeco’s third tip to reduce your carbon footprint is to create beautiful bird feeders with plastic bottles. This is a great family activity and could keep everyone busy during these cold winter months.

Step 1: Clean the bottle and take all of the labels off.

Step 2: Attach a hook to the bottle by screwing it into the lid. This will allow you to hang the bottle wherever you would like.

Step 3: Add wooden perches so that the birds can rest while they feast. This can be done by cutting small holes in the bottle and putting wooden slates through.

Step 4: Fill the bottle with your favourite bird food and wait for the birds to arrive.

Tip number four takes us back to the basics and what’s better than terracotta? It adds amazing contrast in your garden and, if they break, you can use it as drainage in Capi pots. Take your plants out of their plastic pots, put them in your terracotta pots, and recycle the plastic. It’s as easy as 1,2 3…

Last but definitely not least, Hadeco recommends swopping out your plastic garden tools for something that offers more strength and durability. Our wonderful Talen tool range looks great and most of the products are plastic-free.

If you have any more unique and wonderful ideas to use less plastic in your garden, send them through to online@hadeco.co.za and you could be featured in our next plastic free blog!