It's quite easy being green

Drought and bushfires are a wake-up call to rethink our garden spaces and make them work for us and ease the load – environmentally and financially

- NICOLA FIELD

Reducing our burden on the planet and cutting costs has never been so vital. With a few clever strategies you can save water, power and money, and turn your outdoor space into a sustainable budget-friendly environment.

1 Go for grey power

Recycling household water is a great way to keep your garden well hydrated and slash bills at the same time. Greywater systems store water from showers, baths, basins and washing machines for use on the garden or for flushing toilets.

Australian households produce an average of 340 litres of greywater each day. It’s an ideal source of year-round irrigation and will cut water bills. The best bit? Greywater is nutrient rich, and your plants will likely love it.

Check your council for greywater restrictions that may apply in your area. If you get the all-clear, greywater systems can start in price from $650, though the cost can rise to several thousand dollars for systems with a high level of filtration.

2 Plant a tree, cut power bills

Planting shade trees, especially on the western side of your home, can lower interior temperatures through passive cooling, reducing the need for power-hungry air-conditioning.

The problem is that as lot sizes shrink, there isn’t always space for generous shade trees in modern backyards. An alternative can be to plant trees in the nature strip outside your home. It can make a significant difference to internal temperatures – and the value of your property.

The Cool Streets project under way in western Sydney found that street trees have the potential to cut household power bills by up to $400 annually. It’s all about combatting the “heat island” effect where temperatures rise when homes are surrounded by heatreflecting concrete and bitumen rather than natural vegetation.