Before choosing your hardscape products, think about what factors and features are important to you when it comes to interacting sustainably with your environment.
Permeability
One major factor to consider is permeability. Before choosing hardscape materials, research how well they allow water to move through the water cycle. Something that is adequately permeable will allow for proper water drainage and will prevent water accumulation.
Allowing water to get back to the water table through the soil is essential for the health of your overall ecosystem. This is why using materials such as a concrete slab or concrete pavers for patios and walkways may not be the most eco-friendly choice.
Water Conservation
Hand in hand with permeability is water conservation. Using appropriate, permeable materials allows rainwater to replace groundwater. Not impeding this natural process will decrease the need for irrigation in your landscape.
Soil Erosion
One thing that we can hope to prevent by using eco-friendly hardscape materials is soil erosion. Choosing permeable materials and pairing them with appropriate landscape for your lawn conditions can prevent the washing away of precious topsoil. Facilitating proper drainage prevents soil from eroding around your hardscape installations.
A huge factor in making eco-friendly decisions in your landscape design is contaminant reduction. As good stewards of the earth, we want to reduce our instances of contamination as much as we possibly can.
By using permeable materials, homeowners can filter pollutants, which in turn will prevent toxins from entering groundwater supply and spreading to other areas of your landscaping and eventually ending up in nearby bodies of water.
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