You don’t need a farm or a pasture to keep our natural resources thriving. You can help right from your backyard (or balcony)!
Our everyday choices – what we plant, how we water, the products we use – quietly shape the world beyond our homes. Sometimes, those choices unknowingly cause negative impacts far greater than we knew possible. Explore the habits that might be harming our ecosystem, and simple shifts you can make right where you live!
How much do you know about conservation? Test your knowledge!
Navigate through the cards with the left and right arrows.
Applying extra fertilizer is beneficial because lawns absorb what they need, and the rest breaks down harmlessly.
Grass clippings, leaves, and other yard waste can safely enter streets or storm drains because they are natural materials.
Pet waste left on the lawn eventually fertilizes the ground and is not a pollution concern.
Impervious surfaces like driveways and patios increase stormwater runoff and erosion.
All of these everyday household items can be added to a home compost pile to improve soil health:
Removing dead plant stalks, leaf litter, or bare soil patches creates a healthier and more bee-friendly yard.
Watering your lawn or garden a little every day is better for soil health than watering deeply once or twice a week.
Spraying pesticides during the day when bees are active is safe as long as the product is labeled non-toxic.
Introducing more honeybee hives into communities always benefits pollinators.
Excess fertilizer washes into stormwater systems and nearby waterways, carrying nitrogen and phosphorus that fuel harmful algae blooms and reduce oxygen levels. This harms aquatic life and can contaminate groundwater.
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Yard waste that washes into storm drains decomposes rapidly and releases a surge of nutrients—especially phosphorus—into waterways. This causes algae growth that harms fish and degrades water quality.
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Pet waste carries bacteria and pathogens that easily wash into waterways during rain events, polluting surface and groundwater. It does not act as a safe fertilizer and instead contributes to contaminated runoff.
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Hard surfaces prevent rainwater from soaking into the ground. This increases the volume and speed of stormwater runoff, which picks up pollutants and causes erosion.
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All these items break down easily and add valuable nutrients to your compost. Be sure to avoid adding meat, dairy, oils, diseased plants, or anything treated with chemicals, as these can cause odors, attract pests, or disrupt the composting process.
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“Tidy” gardening often destroys essential nesting and winter habitat for native bees. Many bees rely on hollow stems, leaf litter, or even bare soil to survive and reproduce.
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Frequent, shallow watering encourages shallow roots and can lead to compacted soil. Deep, infrequent watering helps roots grow deeper, improves soil structure, and supports healthier soil microbes.
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Spraying during the day when bees are foraging on flowers can kill them directly. Even a non-toxic liquid, like a dish soap spray sometimes used for aphids, can kill a bee by stripping its waxy coat.
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Adding honeybee hives in places with limited nectar and pollen sources can increase competition with native bees and may spread disease. Even well-intentioned hive installations can unintentionally stress local pollinator populations.
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