In a nation embracing all things green, it was just a matter of time before outdoor places – ranging from parks, parking lots and transport corridors to family homes and university and corporate campuses –  ended up with a “green” rating system similar to LEED for buildings and  energy star ratings for appliances (and even churches).

Three years of research by teams of landscape architects, ecologists and engineers from the American Society of Landscape Architects, the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C. and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas-Austin have resulted in the Sustainable Sites Initiative. It’s a 179-page report that includes voluntary national guidelines and performance benchmarks for creating sustainable landscapes.

The SSI is offers a four star rating system for landscapes based on a 250-point scale that measures all actions encouraging regeneration, improving and maintaining ecosystems, supporting sustainability and minimizing water and pesticide use.

To test this rating system, the SSI is currently looking for pilot projects. Any kind of designed landscape of 2000 square feet or more is eligible.

But while the Sustainable Site Initiative and rating system sounds like it’s only aimed at large scale public developments, guidelines and principles can be incorporated by anyone, including homeowners, who are developing or re-landscaping outdoor areas.

For those wanting to create their own sustainable garden, here are some helpful tips to get you started.

1. Create soil-enriching compost from food scraps, newspapers, garden pruning and grass-clippings.

2. Replace “thirsty” plants with indigenous, natives and exotic plants. These plants not only require less care and less water, but also have more resistance to harsh climate changes and local pests and diseases.

3. Planting natives will also attract wildlife to your garden, making it much healthier. Bees and birds will transport pollen around the local area, while other native wildlife often become natural pest removers by eating harmful insects.

4. Use recycled or local products when building garden features such as decks, fences and pathways.

5. Learn to plant strategically to shade the house and reduce runoff. Planting deciduous leafy trees near your home will assist with the energy efficiency of your house. In summer, they block the sun and provide shade, thus reducing the need to use the air conditioner. And in winter, when the leaves have fallen, the reverse happens.

6. Collect rain water in drums or barrels and use for irrigation. This will not only save you money but also will help conserve water.

7.  Consider replacing lawn with native plants, vegetables, or even permeable pavers or gravel.

8. Adding flowers that attract beneficial insects to the vegetable patch will limit the need to spray with chemicals.

9. Establish a drip irrigation system which will ensure water only goes where it’s needed.

Images: Jeremy Levine Design, one2c900d, one2c900d

The post How Green Is Your Landscape? 9 Steps to an Eco Friendly Yard appeared first on EcoSalon.

They say it’s a buyer’s market and agents love listing those dwellings with solar panels, efficient water heaters and appliances, good insulation and nontoxic flooring and finishes.

Here are a few easy green fixes for your property to reduce your own footprint in coming winter months while hoping to land an offer you can’t refuse.

1. Upgrade to Energy Star Appliances

The Energy Star Symbol on products such as the GE Profile Frontload Washer with Steam, is an important statement reflecting high environmental standards. Even if  you have to put out some cash on new appliances, you are letting prospective buyers know your fridge, washer and dryer are not energy hogs. If you own an Energy Star refrigerator, Smart Homeowner recommends you clean the coils to increase efficiency.

2. Repaint with Nontoxic Paint

There is nothing cheaper and more effective than repainting your walls as a design selling point and you’ll get kudos for disclosing you applied low- or non-VOC paint to your rooms, since we now know that lead-based enamel products emit harmful fumes.

3. Consider New Windows

While new energy-efficient windows can run several thousand dollars, the heat that escapes through poorly designed single-paned old ones accounts for as much as 25 percent of your heating bills. It can be worth replacing single paned models in the long run as they do increase property value and are good selling point for noise reduction, as well. Adding screens also is a good way to reduce air conditioning use in the summer and window covers help insulate in the winter.

4. Insulate Pipes and Water Heater

According to the Home Know it All, the process of insulating is easy by just buying a good insulation ($2 to $4 per strip), duct tape and a utility knife. Cut to fit the length and diameter of your pipes and secure every foot or so with the tape. Wrapping the exposed hot water pipes will reduce waste by increasing the temperature of hot water out of your faucets by as much as 4 degrees. Older models might require adding an insulation blanket (check the manual to see if advisable). Gas water heaters should be professionally insulated by a heating contractor.

5. Change the Lights

Talk about a quick and easy fix, something you should have already done by now but might have neglected. The Department of Energy figures green bulbs (CFLs) can reduce lighting energy costs by as much as 75 percent. Lighting adds up to 11 percent of your house’s energy budget, so the wearing of the green bulbs is a major statement about the efficiency of your property.

Sure, there are many other fixes such as adding those solar panels, replacing chemical treated carpets with sustainable bamboo hardwood and installing programmable thermostats and eco ceiling fans. Just remember, all these investments pay off in the end, even after you have moved on to a new place of your own.

Images: Cursed Thing, General Electric, New York Times

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