Tackling Common Environmental ConcernsTackling Common Environmental Concerns


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Tackling Common Environmental Concerns

A few years ago, I realized that there were some serious problems with the way that my family handled trash. We threw away most things without a second thought, and it was obvious that our children had no concept of pollution or how our actions could affect the environment. To make things better, my wife and I decided that it would be smart to start talking to our kids about energy and environmental concerns. We worked hard to develop a system at home that addressed these issues. Our blog is all about tackling common environmental issues, such as littering and preventing excess waste.

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Live On A Sloped Lot Prone To Erosion? Check Out These Methods Of Erosion Control

You may love the fact that your home is nestled right against a hill and your property has a gentle slope to draw focus to the house, but in these property settings, erosion can be a real headache. Just with typical rainfall, the water will take the easiest routes down the slope of your land and can lead to all kinds of issues, from mud banking against your home to deep erosion trenches throughout. If you are starting to see signs of erosion on your sloped residential lot, it is a good idea to get to know some of the basic erosion control methods available. 

Fill the highest-sloped areas with native plants. 

Covering the slope of your property with simply grass can help with erosion issues to some degree, but the results are usually minimal. This is because grass does not have a deep supporting root system. On the other hand, grasses and plants that are native to your area and grow naturally will develop a thick, dense root system that will be more capable of handling moisture because the root system reaches further into the ground. Therefore, sowing the most sloped areas with hearty native grasses and wildflowers can yield promising results where erosion is concerned. 

Use mulch to protect gently sloped areas of your property. 

Mulch is readily available and inexpensive. Plus, it makes an attractive landscape feature with minimal effort. Mulch is excellent at controlling erosion because it is super absorbent, especially the less dense mulches made from dried cedar wood or pine. The extra absorbency of a layer of mulch will mean you will not see erosion problems with slight rainfall occurrences because the mulch prevents the water from immediately seeping into the soil or picking up the particles and washing them downhill. 

Consider implementing a short retaining wall in the most problematic erosion areas. 

If you have an area of your property that is specifically difficult to control where erosion is concerned, implementing a retaining wall at the base of the slope may be one of your most logical forms of protection. A short retaining wall will prevent an onslaught of mud and dirt from tracking its way toward your home or other parts of your property. You can create a basic retaining wall using concrete cinder blocks or heavy landscaping stones, but it is wise to ensure the wall is adequately anchored into the ground with steel pins and cement to prevent the pressure of excess soil and water from pushing the wall over with time. 

For more information, talk to a professional like Bill's Hydroseed.