Go greener this year

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS: BE SUSTAINABLE IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD

Four simple projects that reduce waste, produce oxygen and cut pesticide use.

The most popular New Year’s resolutions pertain to lifestyle choices. According to a ComRes poll, the favourite resolutions are to exercise more, lose weight, eat more healthily, take a more active approach to health and to learn a new skill.

However, this year, why not make a resolution to work towards a greener, more sustainable world? Here are four projects you can do yourself to contribute in 2020.

Trees offer a substantial benefit to the environment and are one of the primary oxygen producers in the ecosystem. Trees are also a great help in preventing soil erosion, as their roots hold the ground together. Another benefit of trees is that they help to catch pollen, dust and smoke and prevent them from entering houses.

So, plant a tree this year and leave a legacy for children to enjoy.

Plastic waste is accumulating all over and not all of it is recyclable. An alternative to simply throwing away plastic waste is to create an ecobrick.

Ecobricks are building materials made from plastic two-litre bottles filled with plastic. They are easy to make: just take waste plastic and compress it into the bottle. The brick is ready when the bottle compresses less than 10% of what an empty bottle compresses. A quick search on Google for ecobricks will give you the closest drop-off point for projects using them for construction.

Plant a tree and leave a legacy for children to enjoy

Owls are a sustainable and ecofriendly way to manage pests around homes. Instead of using pesticides, a family of owls can keep gardens free of rats and other pests.

Building an owl box will provide a place for them to raise their chicks. For a guide on building an owl box go to https://www.birdlife. org.za/get-involved/owl-boxes.

Making a compost heap not only reduces the amount of waste people dump, but can do wonders for gardens.

For a compost heap to work, four things are required.

Carbon is the first ingredient and this can come from dead leaves, straw, wood, or paper and cardboard.

The second ingredient is nitrogen from green leaves, grass or vegetable kitchen waste.

Water is the third component. The heap must be watered whenever a layer is added. The last ingredient is oxygen, so turn over the heap with a pitchfork regularly.