Green Environment Initiatives

Even though the name suggests a cement driveway painted green, a green driveway refers instead to driveways that are pervious, rather than impervious, to the elements. Both builders and homeowners are considering permeable driveways because of the many benefits they offer. Some of the benefits include a reduction of sewer overflow, less local flooding and less stream and river erosion. In addition, storm water can pick up pollutants such as oil and grease from roadways and driveways. Nutrients from lawn fertilizers along with bacteria from animal waste can also be carried into the streams and waterways. Once the polluted water mixes with fresh, the contaminants degrade water Quality as well as damage the habitat of fish and other wildlife.

Currently, most conventional pavement driveways are considered “impervious surfaces” because of the water barrier they provide. They are made to repel water, rather than allow it to permeate them. By acting as funnels, concrete and asphalt pavement lets rainfall bounce off their surfaces, racing down to storm drains or sanitary sewers.

As urban building has increased, so has the amount of concrete covering open land. As open land surface decreases, there is less land available to retain storm water; increasing sewer overflow and flooding. When homeowners choose to reduce the amount of paved area around a home by implementing permeable paving options (also called porous or pervious paving), rain water can soak through the driveways into the soil below. In addition to decreasing flooding, this infiltration of water can help recharge
groundwater supplies, filter out pollutants, and help keep drinking water healthy.

Permeable paving options all require a layer of rock or gravel to be placed on top of the soil, to retain water until it can soak into the ground. As a result, permeable drives must be excavated at least three inches below the paving surface, and filled in with rock or gravel. An overflow route for storm runoff must also be created, directing water into street drains, landscaped areas or rain gardens.

There are a number of materials available to use in creating a green driveway.

Porous Asphalt and Porous Cement Concrete products are one choice. They are manufactured using less sand. When the materials have been mixed, there are small air cells left in the mixture, where water can seep through to the ground below.

Permeable Pavers may be one of the most practical porous surfaces for residential driveway, sidewalk and patio use. A wide variety of paver blocks, bricks, and flagstones can be purchased at local building supply and hardware stores. When these blocks are set over tamped sand and clean, crushed rock they allow rain water to flow down into the rock base underneath, and then slowly filter into the soil. Pavers should be inspected once a year for deterioration and to determine if the base has degraded. Permeable pavement should also be kept clear of mud, sediment and leaves.

Interlocking permeable pavers have tabs that space them from one-quarter to one-half inch apart to allow water through the joints. The interlocking shapes provide stability for cars as they drive over the pavers.

Open-celled grids with vegetation or gravel fill are a green option that may actually provide that green-colored driveway. These pavers are constructed mainly from recycled plastic. They do not require drains, detention or retention ponds, or any other associated drainage facility. These open-celled grids are filled with a sand and compost mix that will grow grass or other wear-tolerant ground covers, such as thyme. They can also be filled with clean crushed rock and work well on level ground. These grids should be inspected yearly for soil or vegetation loss, and repaired as needed.

By Ricky Ellis

Growing herbs through hydroponics is something that many households have gotten involved in. Hydroponics is a form of growing that is set aside from traditional growing because it does not include the use of soil and requires relatively small amounts of space. Hydroponics growing provides seasonal fruits, herbs and vegetables year round. A great way to get your out of season produce. The produce grown through hydroponics is healthier, and tends to grow in about half the time.

Growing herbs in hydroponics:

Hydroponics gardening involves the use of water over soil. This is not only healthier for the plant, it promotes a faster growth rate in the plant and provides a healthier produce of off spring from the plant due to the simple matter that harmful agents such as fertilizers are not used. Growing herbs in hydroponics is the perfect recipe for seasonal produce and a healthy, organic crop any time of the year.

Hydroponics growing can be as simple or as complicated as one is willing to participate the artistry in. It can be as simple as growing a plant in a self watered bucket or can be an elaborate as the most sophisticated hydroponics system. The theory of hydroponic growing encompasses many growing methods.. Granted, those getting involved from the get go with a simple bucket definitely will likely be the ones that eventually set out for the most elaborate systems on the scene, as hydroponics growing is one of the most rewarding and one that the avid grower or the newcomer realizes. The fact that this form of growing is suited to any indoor environment makes this technique very versatile. Something that many home gardeners have recognized.

Getting started growing herbs in hydroponics:

As mentioned earlier you can get started with as little as a bucket. However, most start with hydroponics systems include not only lights, ventilation systems, odor systems, H2O systems but a grow box. The grow box is simply a self contained environment for the plant life to nurture and grow. It is a self contained system. This is not necessary, however, and hydroponics can be done is as little as that self watering bucket.

Hydroponics grow boxes: The most ideal environment for growing plants is a hydroponic grow box. Typically, they are self contained, but do not have to be. Grow boxes include the containers, H2O systems, the ventilation, the odor control and everything necessary for the hydroponics system. If you’re looking for something a bit more elaborate, a grow box is the best system.

By James Narraway

Our planet is in crisis. Rivers and lakes are polluted, the air quality is deteriorating, and things just keep getting worse. Unless we all take action, what kind of place are we leaving for future generations? Everyone needs to do their part to conserve and preserve. Green living isn’t hard to do and it is something we all should be doing. But where do you start?

Just like anything else in life, you should start simple. Don’t feel like you have to go out and save the world all by yourself in one day. Little steps can make a big difference. Look for ways you can conserve in your everyday life. Here are some tips that will help to spark ideas of your own.

Conserve water. This is an easy thing that we can all do. Don’t run the water while you are brushing your teeth just turn it on as needed. The same goes for rinsing dishes to put in the dishwasher. Think about how long you run the water while you are filling up the dishwasher. Wouldn’t it save water to fill the sink with a little water and use that to rinse the dishes?

Forget disposable. We love convenience, but is convenience worth the harm we are doing to our planet? Paper plates and cups have their place, but we don’t need to use them for every day. Find ways to cut back on the disposable part of your life. Not just paper products, but things like plastic water bottles. Buy a water filter that attaches to the kitchen faucet or filtering pitcher to keep in the fridge and fill a reusable water bottle that you can use every day. For travel, you can get water bottles with a filter built in so you can have fresh, filtered water no matter where you are.

Compost. Composting is something that everyone can do, even if you don’t have a yard. Keep your kitchen scraps in an indoor compost container and either put it in your own compost pile or take it to your local green recycling center. You can compost so many different types of things – egg shells, yard waste, plain paper bags, produce waste, and even newspapers. So much of what we put in the trash can be composted into healthy organic matter for the garden.

There are just a few things that we all can do to make the earth a better place. What we do now will affect the lives of our future generations for good or bad. Don’t we want to leave this planet in a good place for them?

By Piper Cox