Across our country, there is an increased focus on renewable energy sources to combat the extreme impacts of climate change, and address the problems caused by a growing demand for power from an aging grid. The way we create, distribute, and consume energy is surprisingly similar to the way it was a century prior. As Aamir Paul, president of the Schneider Electric Country, likes to point out…

Our grid is so old, even Thomas Edison
would recognize it.

But the tide is turning. Today, conversations around climate change, renewable energy, and responsible energy consumption are happening on the ground and in the boardroom. Recent wildfires in California, tornadoes in Tennessee, and the spread of COVID-19 around the world are playing a large role in these discussions. Hurricanes, like Superstorm Sandy, left nearly 1.5 million New Yorkers without power for at least 10 days. And after transmission lines were suspected of causing wildfires in California, the state’s largest utility, PG&E, took drastic preventative measures to reduce risk of additional fires by cutting services to more than 920,000 homes and businesses, impacting at least 2 million people. These conversations are prompting a focus on decarbonization, decentralization, and digitalization to enhance energy reliability and efficiency.

“Electricity is now our lifeline. Everything works—and will continue to work—as long as we have electricity. It’s what keeps the lights on, the oxygen flowing, the information going. Everything is the grid, the grid, the grid.”

– Peggy Noonan – columnist

Microgrids : How does it work?

The electricity grid is a complex system in which power supply and demand must be equal at any given moment. Constant adjustments to the supply are needed for predictable changes in demand, such as the daily patterns of human activity, as well as unexpected changes from equipment overloads and storms. Energy storage plays an important role in this balancing act and helps to create a more flexible and reliable grid system.

Minimizing power disruptions is key. Companies have long used diesel-fueled generators for back-up. These generate heavy emissions that factor into the climate changes and fuel natural disasters. Plus they don’t automatically switch on when power fails. During the precious few minutes while they fire up, critical systems fail, then reboot, causing disruptions in daily operations and often safety hazards.

Since fossil-fuel generators also work counter to their sustainability goals, businesses have been looking at how renewables can support their resilience objectives. Solar- or wind-only strategies cannot address the full scope of the problem since availability isn’t always guaranteed when businesses need it. With the right combination of technologies – specifically solar+storage – businesses can make significant strides in ensuring continuity and reducing losses associated with outages, with an added bonus of cost savings over time and potentially participation in new energy markets.

Because some renewable energy technologies – such as wind and solar – have variable outputs, storage technologies have great potential for smoothing out the electricity supply from these sources and ensuring that the supply of generation matches the demand.

Microgrids are local energy grids that can disconnect from the traditional grid and operate autonomously. Microgrids have the ability to strengthen and reinforce the traditional grid because they can function even when the main grid is down and are optimal for integrating renewable sources of energy. The grid connects homes, businesses and other buildings to central power sources, which allow us to use appliances, heating/cooling systems and electronics. But this interconnectedness means that when part of the grid needs to be repaired, everyone is affected.

This is where a microgrid can help. A microgrid generally operates while connected to the grid, but importantly, it can break off and operate on its own using local energy generation in times of crisis like storms or power outages, or for other reasons. A microgrid can be powered by distributed generators, batteries, and/or renewable resources like solar panels. Depending on how it’s fueled and how its requirements are managed, a microgrid might run indefinitely.

However, energy storage technology accounts for the highest cost in developing a microgrid, yet is the least understood component and tends to be the most poorly integrated. If batteries and microgrids could interact at a higher efficiency, new possibilities could arise for the future of energy distribution.

While significant progress has been made through federal and state incentive programs that have helped drive down the costs of deployment, there is still so much to be done to chart a path toward a clean energy future. At the moment, many consumers are paid through a feed-in tariff system. Most consumers receive a payment based on how much electricity they generate and are assumed to use at home, rather than the amount they actually export. This practice is called ‘deeming’, and for most it is set at 50% of total generation. So, if you can store some of that surplus electricity and use it at another time when you need it, you will still get paid the same for your export but will spend less on electricity bills for your import.

Energy Storage: To store, or not to store

Energy storage is also valued for its rapid response – most storage technologies can begin discharging power to the grid very quickly, while fossil fuel sources tend to take longer to ramp up. For years, many people saw energy storage as a novelty or the preserve of people living off-grid. Now with the technological developments and the growth of domestic renewable energy mean this is an area with big potential. Here are three reasons to choose energy storage over a generator.

• Reliability: While a home battery or a generator can keep your appliances running in an outage, generators require more oversight for optimal performance over the long-term. Generators require annual maintenance to keep their warranties valid, which typically only last 5 years, and regular “exercising.” This means you will need to periodically run your generator to guarantee that the mechanical systems are working properly and won’t fail when you really need to use it. Even if you regularly serviced and exercised your generator, you might not have access to fuel if a devastating event occurs.
• Pollution: Generators are infamous for two forms of pollution when run: air and sound. The former can be very dangerous, even lethal, due to high amounts of carbon monoxide emissions. The latter can be very annoying to you and your neighbors due to their loud, obnoxious sound that carries.
• Grid Interactivity: Backup generators are only meant to be used when there is a power outage. During most of the year when the grid is stable, the generator remains off, collecting dust. This is the opposite of how an energy storage system is meant to function.

The energy revolution has begun and it’s happening right in your own home with the new-found freedom to produce, store and enjoy your own clean electricity. COVID-19 has significantly changed the way we live. Over the last few months, families have been spending more time together at home. The use of household electricity has spiked with more people working from home with their children attending school from home.

Energy storage works well with the idea of the ‘smart home’. Many smart storage systems allow you to keep track of your energy use online and charge the batteries with low rate electricity from the grid if you’re on a tariff that is cheaper at certain times of day, such as Economy 7. We’re starting to see energy storage playing a role in smart energy management at grid level. In the future, we could see people using their energy storage devices to store excess electricity, in return for preferential rates. Major advancements in battery technology over the last 150 years have made modern residential energy storage possible.

Protect your power

Many energy storage systems today are “smart,” meaning there is some level of communication between you and your home battery system. A basic example of this would be seeing how much runtime your battery has left through a mobile app.

Exploring the “smart” battery concept further, it’s also possible to use programmable logic controllers (PLC) to stabilize your battery’s performance and increase its longevity. sonnen is at the forefront of innovation in the intelligent battery space, leading the industry with their ecoLinx product line and integrations with trusted home automation platforms to enable revolutionary “energy automation” capabilities. Sonnen has been one of the early proponents of using home energy storage as an aggregated asset launching SonnenCommunity in late 2015. SonnenCommunity added a layer of tradability to energy, allowing community subscribers to ‘share’ their power with each other via the grid and the SonnenCommunity software and hardware platform.

The sonnen ecoLinx allows tech-forward homeowners like you to take control of the energy in your home to the next level. With integration capability into popular home automation platforms like Control4 and Savant, energy automation with ecoLinx can protect and prepare your connected home for the next weather event or power outage.

By nature, energy storage is able to provide backup power when grid power is lost, a characteristic that is of great interest to residential customers as well as business owners. Energy storage is of interest to the utility because they can store energy that is produced by their plants and not used (such as wind energy at night) and release the stored energy during the day when the demand is higher (and also the cost).

Final Thoughts

Every smart home deserves the opportunity to power their home with clean energy. Have peace of mind by choosing intelligent battery storage options that put safety and sustainability in the forefront by using cobalt-free, recyclable battery technology. Only lithium-iron-phosphate cells are used in sonnen products for stability, durability, performance, and environmental friendliness. Thus, sonnen offers a low maintenance, clean, reliable way to store energy and manage your power consumption. Want more information? Ask us how you can now enjoy the benefits of living off-the-grid with Smart Home and Smart Energy Storage from Sonnen.

It’s easy to get caught up in a pattern of swirling thoughts—thinking about a laundry list of things that need to be done, ruminating on past events, or could-be situations of the future. On average we have over 60,000 thoughts a day, so it’s no surprise it’s becoming trickier to carve out some headspace, especially with the torment of emails, social media, and now Zoom, at our fingertips. With all the things going on now with the global crisis, it seems fitting to shine the spotlight on the practices so many people credit for helping to keep them calm, grounded, and in control – even when the circumstances around them are anything but.

Chances are you’ve probably heard about this thing called mindfulness. The term has become mainstream in both pop culture and rigorous scientific studies. From Google to the NHS and Transport for London. Even Harvard Business School includes mindfulness principles in its leadership programs.

Mindfulness—an intentional state of focused, nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment—doesn’t just foster a pleasant moment of calm. The process of building awareness means noticing body sensations, thoughts, emotions, and details of the environment that occur moment by moment. The key is increasing awareness of your current experience without assigning any judgment, positive or negative.

Research finds mindfulness can physically change brain structures. Scientists find it can be a powerful tool for altering and strengthening key brain networks for the better. Some research has even found that a steady dose of mindfulness over a certain amount of time can physically change brain structures long term, including age-related brain degeneration.

When trying to decide whether you are mindful, consider the following points. In the last week have you found yourself:

• Unable to remember what others have said during conversations?
• With no recollection of your daily commute?
• Eating at your desk without really tasting your food?
• Paying more attention to your iPhone than to your nearest and dearest?
• Dwelling on past events or dreading what the future holds?
• Are you skim reading this article?

If you answered yes, then chances are that you’re zoning out on a regular basis, spending at least some time on autopilot.

The Science of Neuroplasticity

The mind’s many intricate networks of neural pathways are continually and automatically adjusting through a phenomenon called neuroplasticity (neuro-, meaning relating to nerves or the nervous system; and plastic, meaning easily shaped or molded).

“Neuroplasticity is the capacity of the brain to reorganize its connections based on experience.”

– Amishi Jha, PhD, an associate professor in the department of psychology at the University of Miami and the director of contemplative neuroscience for the UMindfulness initiative

The brain’s brilliant malleability allows us to acquire new skills, drop bad habits, adapt to novel environments, and even heal from severe trauma and injury. Neuroplasticity is catalyzed by these events, too. Every new experience or challenge, from breaking an ankle to shopping at an unfamiliar grocery store, compels the brain to rearrange its synaptic connections. And the more you do something, the more established—and less new—these connections become. Repetition is the key to rendering a behavior second nature.

Mindfulness strengthens key brain networks linked to focus, memory, and mood. The same way you lift weights to build strength and dexterity in a specific muscle over time, you can also exercise certain brain networks associated with core cognitive functions (like attention, logic, and memory) and emotion regulation (like quelling anxiety or negative reactions).

Meditation vs Mindfulness vs Mindful Meditation

“Mindfulness involves paying attention to something in a particular way and being in the present moment which calms our busy minds and our nervous system. In theory, mindfulness can be cooking, colouring in or washing the dishes, which is why mundane tasks are now having a comeback.”

– Claire Aristides, a clinical hypnotherapist and founder of the Mindology App

Meditation is an ancient practice of raising your mental consciousness. One might associate it with Eastern religions like Buddhism, but really, it’s just a larger term that encompasses a technique of self-discovery. “Mindfulness” is a small part of meditation as a whole. It means to practice your focus on a small act, like drinking a cup of hot tea, or watching the sun set, or waves lapping up against the shore of a lake. Many of us don’t have a lifetime or even a full day to devote to a practice (not yet, anyway), but we can find a few minutes or even just moments, to practice mindfulness.

Then, there is mindful meditation. This involves paying attention to thoughts, sounds, the sensations of breathing or parts of the body and bringing your mind back whenever it starts to wander. Mindfulness meditation is a mental training practice that teaches you to slow down racing thoughts, let go of negativity, and calm both your mind and body.
While mindfulness practice often comes in the form of mindfulness meditation, Jason Marsh, director of programs for the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, says this isn’t the only option

“Once you learn mindfulness skills, you can practice them at almost any moment of the day—sitting at your computer, stuck in traffic, even eating. And there’s also growing interest in using the practice of mindfulness in the workplace to provide a buffer against stress.”

Practicing mindfulness not only has physiological benefits for individuals but also has a positive impact on the workplace. Mindfulness helps drive many aspects of a healthy workplace including wellbeing, relationships and creativity.

Stress As A Badge Of Honour

In the current economic climate, employees are being asked to do more with less, working long hours with increasingly heavy workloads. Leading mindfulness academic, Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Oxford, says working in a culture where stress is a badge of honour is counterproductive. We can spend so much time rushing from one task to another. We may think we’re working more efficiently, but as far as the brain is concerned, we are working against the grain. No wonder we get exhausted.

Organizations are becoming more invested in the wellbeing of employees due to an increased awareness of the costs associated with an unhealthy workforce. Absenteeism, lack of productivity and turnover are all very costly issues and are closely related to the employee stress and mental health.

Resilience and the ability to deal with difficult situations is critical to wellbeing. Mindfulness at work can support resilience by equipping employees with the ability to understand their emotions, their level of stress and their ability to influence them. Mindfulness training employees to respond to difficult situations effectively and has been shown to have a positive effect on stress and burnout.

Mindfulness expert Mirabai Bush, famous for introducing it to Google, says:

“Introducing mindfulness into the workplace does not prevent conflict from arising or difficult issues from coming up. But when difficult issues do arise… they are more likely to be skillfully acknowledged, held, and responded to by the group. Over time with mindfulness, we learn to develop the inner resources that will help us navigate through difficult, trying, and stressful situations with more ease, comfort, and grace.”

While practicing mindfulness in the workplace is important, making it a daily habit is much more so. Most of us don’t have five minutes to sit down and relax, let alone 30 minutes or more for a meditation session. But it is essential for our wellbeing to take a few minutes each day to cultivate mental spaciousness and achieve a positive mind-body balance.

Simple Mindfulness Exercises

You can use these simple mindfulness exercises to empty your mind and find some much-needed calm amidst the madness of your hectic day.

Mindful Breathing: This exercise can be done standing up or sitting down, and pretty much anywhere at any time. If you can sit down in the meditation (lotus) position, that’s great, if not, no worries.

Start by breathing in and out slowly. One breath cycle should last for approximately 6 seconds.

Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, letting your breath flow effortlessly in and out of your body. Let go of your thoughts. Let go of things you have to do later today or pending projects that need your attention. Simply let thoughts rise and fall of their own accord and be at one with your breath. Purposefully watch your breath, focusing your sense of awareness on its pathway as it enters your body and fills you with life. Then watch with your awareness as it works its way up and out of your mouth and its energy dissipates into the world.

Mindful Observation: This exercise is simple but incredibly powerful because it helps you notice and appreciate seemingly simple elements of your environment in a more profound way.

The exercise is designed to connect us with the beauty of the natural environment, something that is easily missed when we are rushing around in the car or hopping on and off trains on the way to work.

Choose a natural object from within your immediate environment and focus on watching it for a minute or two. This could be a flower or an insect, or even the clouds or the moon. Don’t do anything except notice the thing you are looking at. Simply relax into watching for as long as your concentration allows. Look at this object as if you are seeing it for the first time.

Visually explore every aspect of its formation, and allow yourself to be consumed by its presence. Allow yourself to connect with its energy and its purpose within the natural world.

Mindful Awareness: This exercise is designed to cultivate a heightened awareness and appreciation of simple daily tasks and the results they achieve. Think of something that happens every day more than once; something you take for granted, like opening a door, for example.

At the very moment you touch the doorknob to open the door, stop for a moment and be mindful of where you are, how you feel in that moment and where the door will lead you. Similarly, the moment you open your computer to start work, take a moment to appreciate the hands that enable this process and the brain that facilitates your understanding of how to use the computer. These ‘touch point’ cues don’t have to be physical ones.

For example: Each time you think a negative thought, you might choose to take a moment to stop, label the thought as unhelpful and release the negativity. Or, perhaps each time you smell food, you take a moment to stop and appreciate how lucky you are to have good food to eat and share with your family and friends.

Choose a touch point that resonates with you today and, instead of going through your daily motions on autopilot, take occasional moments to stop and cultivate purposeful awareness of what you are doing and the blessings these actions bring to your life.

You can do most things mindfully. Anytime that you are resting your attention in the present moment and whatever you are doing/experiencing you are practicing being mindful. Not only does this enrich the present moment activity/experience you’re engaging in, but it also allows you to be present in your time rather than going back into the past or into the future. Doing everyday tasks can lead you to do little mindful exercises.

Brushing your teeth: Feel your feet on the floor, the brush in your hand, and your arm moving up and down.

Doing dishes: Savor the feeling of the warm water on your hands, the look of the bubbles, and the sounds of the pans clunking on the bottom of the sink.

Doing laundry: Pay attention to the smell of the clean clothes and feel of the fabric. Add a focus element and count your breaths as you fold laundry.

Driving: Turn off the radio—or put on something soothing, like classical music—imagine your spine growing tall, find the half-way point between relaxing your hands and gripping the wheel too tightly, and whenever you notice your mind wandering, bring your attention back to where you and your car are in space.

Exercising: Instead of watching television while on the treadmill, try focusing on your breathing and where your feet are in space as you move.
Getting kids ready for bed: Get down to the same level as your kids, look in their eyes, listen more than you talk, and savor any snuggles. When you relax, they will too.

But begin

Of course, life can get in the way — maybe your little one calls for help while you’re washing the dishes or a tricky traffic situation means you have to be even more focused on the road. It is far better to make small changes you can sustain than to make big changes that don’t last. So start with five minutes a day, but begin. Move from there as you find your rhythm and it can become a sustainable practice.

With regular practice of mindfulness exercises, rather than being led on auto-pilot by emotions influenced by negative past experiences and fears of future occurrences, we harness the ability to root the mind in the present moment and deal with life’s challenges in a clear-minded, calm, assertive way.

By 2050, it is estimated that the world’s population will increase by more than 35 percent. To realistically feed everyone, the world’s crop production would need to double. But placing that burden entirely on farmers when more than 55% of people now live in urbanized areas isn’t practical – nor is it necessary! Step out onto your balcony or patio, and you’ve found a perfect setting to grow food.

As gardeners, we’re all dreamers, right? We take a miniscule seed from a colorful packet and gently place it in the soil. And in that seed is the dream of what’s to come— lively green stalks of rosemary or a lush bunch of basil. Growing herbs is a great way to add beauty to a balcony as well as incorporate new spices and flavors into cooking. Herbs are one of the most popular edible plants for gardeners to grow. Even if you haven’t always had a super green thumb, these smaller scale and absolutely adorable balcony herb gardens are completely manageable as long as you give your plants a little TLC.

There’s no such thing as a maintenance-free garden. Growing food is enriching, but it’s understandable if you don’t want to spend a lot of time with your garden after long days at work.

Take into account all of the conditions of both your growing area and your lifestyle. Doing so will allow you access to healthy, productive plants and give you the highest enjoyment out of the gardening process.

Know the Sunlight

A large part of growing herbs in a small space is knowing what kind of sunlight your space receives each day. Most herbs need 4-6 hours of direct sunlight in order to grow well. Before you purchase anything, take a peek at your space at different times of the day and consider marking where the sunlight hits your space. Nearby houses, buildings or trees may shade your space so make sure that you know what sunlight your space receives in order to successfully grow herbs.

Decide On Seed or Starters

Herbs can be grown from seed which means that you would purchase seed packets at the store. Growing from seed can be a fun thing to do, you’ll want to purchase a seed starter pack to hold enough moisture to start propagation. However, the easiest way to grow herbs is to purchase starter plants that have already sprouted. Doing so will give you a good idea of which herb is which plant as well as more time to harvest the herbs as the season progresses.

Grab the Gear

You only need a few things to plant herbs successfully in a small space. Just a few pots, potting soil, and herb plants are all you really need in order to get started. When choosing pots, it’s a great idea to keep in mind the potential of bringing your plants indoors once cold weather comes back to extend the season of fresh herbs. So you’ll likely want to choose ones that are easy to manage and won’t leave a mess. Choose herbs that you already use in your cooking as well as a few new varieties that look interesting while at the garden center. Read the tags of each plant to make sure that they will match the available sunlight on your balcony. Don’t overcrowd young seedlings but consider their tag to see how much room they will need once fully matured.

Stay Water Conscious

When you first plant a seedling it is a good idea to water the soil to make sure that it doesn’t go into shock. Consider the plant itself and what kind of soil it likes: moist or dry. Check soil on a regular basis to make sure that herbs don’t dry out and consider the weather to see if they got their daily dose of water from a passing storm. If the edges of the plant begin to brown or wilt, then you will know that you need to water more.

Understand Harvesting

One of the toughest parts of maintaining an herb garden is knowing how and when to harvest the herb. Not all herbs are the same when it comes to harvesting. If you are growing basil, be sure to snip leaves from the top of the plant instead of the bottom. Herbs like oregano and mint can be harvested by simply snipping off the leaves anywhere on the plant. Chives can be directly cut down to the soil if desired as well. Do your research and know how to correctly harvest your herbs in order to get the most out of each plant.

Why Herbs?

Redefine Fresh

What’s on the shelves will never match what you grow yourself. Here are a few ways in which fresh herbs can benefit your health:

Rosemary: Rosemary is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds which help boost the immune system and improve blood circulation. It has also been used medicinally for its antibacterial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. In fact, rosemary is even used as a food preservation antioxidant in Europe. When inhaled, rosemary has also been shown to enhance memory

However, rosemary is most praised for its positive impact on the brain. It has been shown to improve memory, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep when taken orally.

Mint: Mint helps soothe nausea and calm digestive issues. It is also high in antioxidants.

Oregano: Oregano is rich in antioxidants and has antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Thyme: Thyme is a natural diuretic and helps with respiratory issues. It is also high in antioxidants and has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.

Lavender: Lavender is an herb that can be used for many things but mostly for anxiety and stress. Not only does it have mood-boosting benefits, but it also has a heart-warming aroma and a beautiful display of deep-purple color. Traditionally, lavender has been used for relaxation and treating infections, burns, and bites. However, current evidence has shown that lavender oil has mood-stabilizing, sedative, and neuroprotective properties.

Parsley: Parsley is rich in vitamins A, C and K, improves digestion and is a natural diuretic. It is also high in antioxidants and has antibacterial properties.

Sage: Sage helps balance cholesterol and is rich in antioxidants.

Chives: Chives improve digestion and are high in antioxidants. They also have excellent antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal and antibiotic properties.

Cilantro: Few think of this plant as a medicinal herb, but research shows it’s a powerful digestive aid and may be capable of removing heavy metals and other toxic agents from the body.

Basil: Basil is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Dill: Dill boosts digestion and is high in antioxidants. It also has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

Chamomile: Chamomile has been used for hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual complications, insomnia, wounds, digestive issues, and pain for many years.

There is an endless plethora of options about what to grow and how to grow your garden. Be creative with the small space you have by using the wealth of container options different suppliers will have to offer, or by testing the boundaries with your own creative ideas.

Consider Your Containers

1. Planters And Pots

If weight is not an issue, large planters and pots made of wood or terra cotta are very attractive and offer ample space for all types of growing. Keep in mind that terra cotta usually dries out quickly, however. Resin and plastic pots offer a lightweight alternative in the greatest number of sizes, shapes, and self-watering options.

With large pots and planters, the gardener has the opportunity to grow individual small shrubs, perennials, or a wide variety of traditional garden vegetables. Smaller pots and planters are great for planting kitchen herbs, perennials, and annuals. They can be used in combination with vertical gardening.

2. Going Vertical

Vertical gardens are a space saving concept to the home gardener because they employ the vertical walls of your balcony. There are many creative ways to use this method: using pallets filled with soil and affixed to the wall, attaching pots to a trellis, hanging gutters from a chain, or terracing on planter stairs. On the downside, the vertical garden can have a splash factor that can dirty the walls from overhead watering and dripping from a height. Drip irrigation works well to avoid this problem combined with a catchment system at the bottom.

3. Railing Or Hanging Baskets

Railing baskets, window boxes, or hanging baskets are the easiest choices for the tiny balcony. Made of wood, steel, or plastic, these containers are built to hang off the balcony railing or from the eaves. Usually shallow in nature and more prone to dry out, these types of baskets are suitable for drought-resistant plants or those smaller in size. Succulents, annuals, strawberries, herbs, and lettuce can be successfully grown in a railing or hanging basket. Both of these container options should be secured using zap straps, screws, or brackets to prevent the container from being knocked off by wind or an accidental bump.

4. Up-Cycled Containers

As a gardener, you are the artist and have the creative licence to explore a variety of containers. To add your own personal flair to the balcony landscape, transform household items into a plant container by adding sufficient holes for water drainage. Up-cycling colourful rubber boots, old yogurt containers, mugs, jugs, baskets or any other vessel is one way to reduce your garbage and also save you money.

Challenges

The pitfalls you might encounter on a balcony are different than the traditional garden landscape. Prevent these challenges before you start by reducing the risk of hazards.

Windy locations – High winds that occur on tall buildings will knock small pots over or railing pots off and will also increase dehydration. Secure all vessels by fastening to a stable structure and use a thick mulch to reduce the evaporation of water.

Watering overflow – Excess water from overflow when watering your plants can cause rot on wood balconies or flow down to the neighbour’s deck or onto unsuspecting people on the sidewalk. Include large trays for all pots or catchment systems for planters. Be mindful of what’s below when watering pots.

Birds and wildlife – Pigeons and other wildlife can be as attracted to your plants as you are. They feed on developing fruit, use structures or railings as roosts, or in the case of rodents, burrow into the soil. Deter these creatures by limiting the room they can roost upon or by covering exposed soil with fine chicken wire.

Cold weather – Winter preparation is necessary for those gardeners located in sub-zero locales. Ceramic pots should have soil removed to prevent freezing and cracking of the pot. Plants intended for year-round display should be placed closer together and pots wrapped with burlap to assist with insulating the roots.

Final Thoughts

Starting a balcony or rooftop food or herb garden is a win for you, the planet, and humankind. Even if you live in the middle of a city, you can step onto your balcony and pluck off some produce, saving a trip to the store. Not only is gardening an enjoyable and therapeutic activity, but it can help you reduce 8% of your carbon footprint that comes from food consumption.

Since you probably won’t raise any cattle on your balcony, having a garden might also encourage you to eat more vegetarian meals. Eating even one vegetarian meal a week can save the greenhouse gas equivalent of 1,160 miles of driving per year.

You have the opportunity to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, improve your health, reduce waste, and save water, even if you live in a city. If you’ve got a balcony, a little rooftop spot, or some outside space, cultivating your own balcony herb garden is a wonderfully fulfilling and mood-boosting trend you could end up keeping for years to come.