Redditors responded with excitement and disbelief after a user posted a photo of a hedgehog in their urban garden. The image highlighted one of the many benefits of creating spaces for local wildlife, even in areas where you might not expect such animals to be.
"We have a city garden," explained the original poster in the comments. "He visited us for the first time last year."
"I love hedgehogs!" exclaimed one excited commenter.
"That's so amazing!" added another. "I hope to have that experience one day."
As the OP's hedgehog pic showed, helping local wildlife can be as easy as creating green areas for them to inhabit and forage in. By planting a native lawn or rewilding your yard, you give everything from pollinating insects to small mammals to birds a place to thrive.
Rewilding your yard and using native plants also reduces water consumption along with the time and expense of landscape maintenance. Because native plants evolved to thrive in your local area, they require very little upkeep.
This simple upgrade can slash thousands off your energy bills while increasing the value of your home — and you can get it done before Thanksgiving Did you know 10% to 20% of heat escapes through your home’s flooring, typically because of bad insulation? That could be costing you thousands in energy bills every year. But a simple flooring refresh could slash those costs — while also increasing your home’s value by as much as 5%. And Lowe’s now offers a seamless one-stop flooring solution that makes the process easy and affordable. You’ll find top brands and styles at prices that fit your budget, all while working with local, independent installers. If you schedule a free in-home measurement online by Nov. 2 and purchase your project by Nov. 12, you can even have your new floors in before Thanksgiving. Learn more → |
Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City?
"Native plants are considered the best choice because of their abundance of nectar and pollen in addition to being low maintenance, generally pest free, drought tolerant, and ability to control erosion," according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"They are good sources of food and shelter for wildlife, and are naturally beautiful," the USDA continued.
According to the National Audubon Society, pollution from gas-powered lawn mowers accounts for 40% of all landscaping-related pollution, but native lawns require little or no mowing. This reduces planet-warming pollution while saving on fuel costs. You might even be able to make some money by selling that old lawn mower you no longer need.
Some municipalities offer financial incentives for homeowners to switch from monoculture grass lawns to native plants. For example, property owners in the San Francisco Bay Area can receive between $2 and $4 per square foot to replace grass lawns with drought-tolerant landscaping.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
|
If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Making it look better 🌱 The OP's hedgehog photo showed living proof that creating green spaces and natural habitats for local wildlife works.
"I think stuff like this is why we exist," said one Redditor. "To see a little hedgehog in the sun by some daisies."
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
