Guest post by Anita Ginsburg

As the world grows more environmentally aware, businesses are adopting new methodologies to help reduce waste and decrease their ecological footprint. When the topic of “going green” is discussed, most people assume that only large-scale operations will have any effect but in reality, even changes in simple landscape maintenance can greatly impact the environment. Here are some ways to make commercial landscaping more eco-friendly.

Go Native

According to the data collected by the science research team at iPropertyManagement for 2019, the most popular and sustainable eco-friendly landscaping practice was planting native or drought-tolerant plants and trees. Native plants, as the name suggests, are plants that are indigenous to the region and naturally designed to be more tolerant of whatever conditions that region is likely to have. Not only do they offer more durable plant life, but native plants offer numerous benefits that can help restore the local ecosystem. Planting native trees can be tricky (for example, you have to consider where the tree is naturally growing in addition to what kinds of trees are growing in your local area), so it’s best to consult first with a landscape and tree care expert .

Natural Fertilizer

Many farmers are switching to natural fertilizer for their crops and many businesses can do the same. Most common fertilizers for commercial use are created using synthetic materials and chemicals that can be very harmful to the environment in the long run. Often, these fertilizers have high levels of nitrogen, which can contaminate the soil and water supply, leading to unhealthy ecosystems. Natural fertilizer for commercial use will avoid these problems. In fact, these kinds of fertilizers help to restore the plants and ecosystem that should thrive in your area.

Utilize Rainwater Irrigation

In areas with a wetter climate, businesses can harvest rainwater in order to irrigate the plants and the landscaping. Because plants don’t require filtered water, irrigating with recycled rain water is an excellent alternative to using a sprinkler system that draws on potable water reserves.

Not only will using recycled rainwater be beneficial for the environment, but it will also reduce costs to the water bill. Keeping plants watered and grass green requires a surprisingly large water draw. Most businesses typically use quite a bit of water throughout the building and watering landscaping only adds to this. When you cut the cost of paying for water for the landscaping, the savings could be substantial. No matter what kind of water you use, make sure that it isn’t being wasted. Do you best to water in the morning or evening, when the sun’s heat is lower, so that water doesn’t evaporate before it can get to the plants that need it.

Recycle Yard Waste

Most of the waste that results from landscaping maintenance is delivered to landfills to be disposed of, but yard waste can actually be very useful. Businesses can produce a lot of organic debris from the constant landscape maintenance, and recycling and composting the “leftovers” of landscaping can be especially beneficial for them. This nutrient-rich compost is a great way to fortify the soil and revive the environment.

Everyone, from individuals to small businesses to large corporations, needs to do what they can to help the Earth. Adopting green landscaping practices is one way businesses can reduce their footprint and help rebuild the natural environment. Simple methods like these are a great way to get started on making your business more eco-friendly and more inviting.

Anita Ginsburg is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn't writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.

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