Environmental Issues in Northern Ontario
In the yard
Avoid using chemical pesticides or
fertilizers
Avoid using chemical pesticides or fertilizers on your lawn and garden.
Chemical fertilizers are a source of nitrous oxide, a GHG. Try using
organic products – they are better for our environment and healthier for
your lawn and your family.
Capture rainwater for your garden
The water you use for your lawn doesn’t have to come from a tap. A
cistern or a rain barrel will capture and store rainwater for
irrigation. Make sure your barrel is covered with a tight-fitting lid or
screen to keep disease-carrying mosquitoes from breeding there.
Limit your use of gas-powered lawn mowers
Limit your use of gas-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and snow
blowers. Using a manual push mower or an electric mower instead of a
gas-powered mower will reduce GHGs. Using a typical gas-powered mower
produces 48 kilograms of GHGs in a season and as much air pollution as a
car driven 550 kilometres.
Maintain your pool efficiently
Use pump timers to regulate energy and the length of time your pool is
heated. Cover your pool with a thermal blanket to reduce heat loss and
water evaporation. And use cost-effective solar panels to heat your
pool.
Plant trees
A well-placed line of evergreens on the north side of your home can
shelter it against cold winter winds and reduce your home’s demand for
heat. Similarly, shade trees on the south side can keep your home cooler
in summer and reduce the need for air conditioning by shading your
home’s windows and walls.
Practice “grass cycling”
Leave grass clippings on your lawn where they quickly break down and add
needed nutrients to your lawn. Keeping grass out of your garbage can
save 0.1 tonne in GHGs.
Water your garden or lawn early
Water your garden or lawn early in the morning, after the dew has dried,
to reduce losses due to evaporation. More than half of the water applied
to lawns and gardens can be lost due to evaporation or run-off because
of over watering. As a rule, most lawns and gardens require little more
than two to three centimetres of water per week.
Tips supplied by the Government of Canada
