Protect and grow local habitat

Remove artificial turf and lawns

Why? Artificial turf may not need water, but it has many drawbacks: it is made out of forever chemicals that add to our pollution load, creates soil dead zones when we need more habitat and gets dangerously hot in the summer when we look to our yards to cool us off.

Resources: Rebates | Alameda County Water District - Official Website, Lawn Be Gone!, Artificial Turf Fact Sheet (PDF), Lawn to Garden | A comprehensive guide to the sheet mulch process | Alameda County, California, ABG Video Resources - Alameda Backyard Growers, Transforming a Lawn into an Edible Paradise - Alameda Backyard Growers

Grow native gardens

Why? Native gardens are drought tolerant and an inviting habitat for pollinators and other species.

Resources: Planting Natives - Alameda Backyard Growers, Resources for Planting for Pollinators - Alameda Backyard Growers, ABG Video Resources - Alameda Backyard Growers, Ploughshare Nursery, Gardening for birds with California Natives - Alameda Backyard Growers (video)

Support/grow a community garden

Why? Community gardens beautify neighborhoods, help bring neighbors closer together, and provide easy access to healthy food. They also offer space for people who wouldn’t otherwise have a place to garden.

Resources: Community Gardening Archives - Alameda Backyard Growers, ABG Video Resources - Alameda Backyard Growers, Ploughshare Nursery

Plant trees on your property

Why? Expanding the tree canopy in Alameda will help enhance our quality of life, provide habitat for wildlife, and support adaptation to climate change for the benefit of all community members and generations to come and expanding Alameda's urban forest will take all of us.

Resources: Urban Forest Plan | City of Alameda, Suitable Tree Species for Alameda, Tree planting (PDF), 100K Trees for Humanity, Fruit Trees Archives - Alameda Backyard Growers, ABG Video Resources - Alameda Backyard Growers

Apply compost & mulch

Why? Compost and mulch not only retain water but also help capture carbon and increase numbers of beneficial soil microbes.

Resources: Compost Hub — Bay Area Makerfarm, Soil & Composting Archives - Alameda Backyard Growers, How to Compost - Alameda Backyard Growers, All About Compost | StopWaste - Home, Work, School, Lori CaldWell from StopWaste presents on sheet mulching - Alameda Backyard Growers (video)

Install drip irrigation

Why? The benefit of drip irrigation is that it puts the right amount of water in the right place at the right time without wasting water.

Resources: Convert your Sprinkler System to Drip | StopWaste (video), DIY Drip Irrigation System - Alameda Backyard Growers

Install rain gardens

Why? Rain gardens not only keep our waterways healthier, they also recharge aquifers, reduce flooding, and provide valuable habitat.

Resources: Rain Gardens 101 - Daily Acts, BASMAA Rain Garden Fact Sheet (PDF), Rain Gardens: A Sustainable Solution for Stormwater Management | UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, Detain the Rain (PDF)

Install rain barrels

Why? Collecting rain from the roof of your house is easy and practical and can provide long-term savings on your water bill. Rain catchment also reduces the amount of runoff that flows into creeks and storm drains, easing the burden on wastewater treatment plants and reducing the amount of pollutants washed into local streams and rivers.

Resources: BASMAA Rain Barrels and Cisterns Fact Sheet (PDF), BAWSCA Rain Barrel Rebates, ACMAD Rain Barrel Best Practices, ACWD Rebates, Detain the Rain (PDF)

Landscape with permeable hardscapes

Why? Choosing to landscape with permeable hardscapes helps reduce runoff and filters out pollutants.

Resources: Soak Up the Rain: Permeable Pavement - EPA, Permeable Pavements Factsheet - EPA (PDF)

Avoid toxic pesticides and herbicides

Why? Homeowners in North America use about three times the amount of pesticides as farmers – impacting countless birds, insects, and other wildlife, when alternatives exist including non-toxic herbicides and pesticides or effective home remedies (e.g. watered-down whey or milk sprayed on plants to combat powdery mildew).

Resources: Pest & Garden | StopWaste - Home, Work, School, Pollution Prevention is in the Garden | Department of Toxic Substances Control

Reduce noise pollution

Why? Noise pollution is not only a health risk for humans. It can have a harmful impact on animals, trees, plants, and marine life, as well.

Resources: 25+ Easy and Practical Ways to Reduce Noise Pollution at Home or Offices - Conserve Energy Future, 6 Technical Solutions to Reduce Noise Pollution

Protect night skies

Why? Just as noise is affecting humans and the life around us, so is light pollution. It can impair bird migration and disrupt the sleep of many animals, especially nocturnal species, by interfering with circadian rhythms.

Resources: Turn off the porch light: 6 easy ways to stop light pollution from harming our wildlife, Four Ways to Reduce Light Pollution in Cities | Smart Cities Dive, Lights Out - Bird Alliance of Oregon

Become a beekeeper

Why? We can’t underestimate the pivotal, life-sustaining role of bees: They pollinate 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants and 35 percent of our food. But, as you well know, bees are in decline and need our help.

Resources: Certification Program | California Master Beekeeper Program, So You Want to Be a Beekeeper...Or Just Be There for the Bees, How to Build a Beehive – Noble Research Institute

Build an owl or a bat box

Why? Giving an assist to owls or bats by building them boxes may feel like a small step, but it can make a big difference. And you may have the added benefit of pest control, for example, or hearing delightful owl sounds nearby.

Resources: How to Build a Screech-Owl Nest Box | Audubon, How to Build a Bat House, Attract Great Horned Owls to your Yard with a Nest Box