The Best Tips for Eco-friendly Curb Appeal

Everyone wants to make the exterior of their home look great. However, some common ways to boost curb appeal often involve using too much water, excessive electricity, or unhealthy chemicals. Instead, make your home look good the eco-friendly way by implementing some of these sustainable curb appeal ideas.

Drought-tolerant plants

Give your landscaping an environmentally friendly upgrade by planting some drought-tolerant plants. These varieties of flora will help you conserve water, spend less time in the garden, and provide habitat and food for wildlife. Incorporating plants native to your region can help ensure they thrive. Drought-tolerant plant options include lavender, salvia, Russian sage, portulaca, zinnia, blanket flower, and angelonia.

Another way to reduce your water consumption is by adding a backyard rain catcher. These storage devices can help you harvest rainwater so you don’t have to rely on a sprinkler to water your plants.

Trees

If your yard is a little bare, consider adding trees to your property to give it character and help the environment. Trees can help reduce your carbon footprint as they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They also help reduce your heating and cooling costs by providing shade in summer and protecting your home from cold winds in winter. In addition, trees can impact your home’s worth, as healthy trees can add up to 10 percent to your property’s overall value. Remember, this is a long-term project—trees can take anywhere from five to thirty years to grow and mature.

Lawn alternatives

The upkeep of your lawn can cause you to use excessive amounts of water, not to mention electricity or gasoline to power lawnmowers and trimmers. To help reduce the resources and the time you spend maintaining your lawn, go with an alternative ground cover, such as moss, clover, creeping perennials, or ornamental grass. You can also choose to install turf made of recycled materials or replace part of your lawn with a wildflower meadow or a vegetable garden.

Window boxes

Give your home’s exterior a pop of color by installing some DIY window boxes. Choose flowers that match your home’s accent colors to help the aesthetic, or select native plants that are better adapted to thrive in your environment to attract birds and other wildlife.

Solar-powered lights

Outdoor lights are a great way to illuminate your home’s exterior while you entertain and can help you enjoy your yard in the evening. However, you can avoid consuming electricity by choosing solar-powered landscaping lights. This light style has panels that convert sunlight into energy and require no electricity to use. Place these lights along walkways to guide guests to your home or in select areas of your yard to highlight specific features.

Patio furniture

Adding new furniture to your patio or deck can quickly draw attention to your home. Consider looking for a sustainable option. You can visit a thrift store and buy a preowned patio furniture set. While it may need some repairs or a fresh coat of paint, this is a green option that will help you save money. If you prefer something new, make sure to choose a sustainably-sourced option. Wood furniture is made of a renewable source and brings a rustic look to your home, and some companies make patio furniture out of recycled plastic.

Solar panels

Although solar panels are not a traditional curb appeal upgrade, they can show your neighbors you’re taking an active part in preserving the environment. Installing solar panels reduces your greenhouse gas emissions and your electric bill. They can also improve the resale value of your home; a study from the Berkeley Lab found homes equipped with solar panels gained $15,000 in value. Most solar panels have a life span between twenty-five and thirty years.

Paint

Whether it’s your entire house or just your front door, a fresh coat of paint can give your home an instant boost. Better yet, painting the exterior can lead to a return on investment (ROI) of more than 50 percent. However, before hiring painters, make sure you choose an environmentally safe paint that is low- or no-VOC. VOCs, short for volatile organic compounds, can be toxic to humans and pollute the atmosphere.

Light fixtures

If your home has dated exterior lighting fixtures, replace them with energy-saving models to help reduce your energy consumption and lower your electric bill. Also, replacing the bulbs in your outdoor lights with LED varieties helps conserve energy, and they can last much longer than standard lightbulbs.

Use these tips to turn your home into an eco-friendly paradise that boosts your curb appeal.