Sketch style image displaying a home adapted with nature positive improvements, including green rook, solar PV and native planting

Home Improvements & Actions to Support Nature

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ByLee Hill Updated on

Here we’ll explore the various ways you can support nature and contribute to its recovery right from your home. Let’s get Started!

1. Transforming Your Garden and Outdoor Spaces

Image of rewilding garden hedgerow, a key action in the transformation of a garden to support nature.

Your immediate environment offers incredible opportunities for nature support. Think of your garden or yard as a potential mini-ecosystem that can provide habitat, food, and shelter for local wildlife. 

To create wildlife-friendly spaces, consider adopting the following home improvements:

  • Plant native species that are adapted to your local climate and support indigenous insects, birds, and small mammals
  • Allow some areas of your garden to grow a bit wild, creating natural habitats with varied vegetation heights
  • Install features like bird feeders, bee hotels, and small water sources that provide essential resources for local wildlife
  • Avoid using chemical pesticides and herbicides that can harm beneficial insects and disrupt ecosystem balance

These actions enhance each other, so the more you can put in place the better the impact. For example, allowing wilder areas to develop enhancing the chances of native species becoming established and provides safer spaces for more indigenous animals.

2. Sustainable Garden Use

Image of a sustainable home, featuring renewable energy use, gardening and a sustainable travel option.

How you use your garden can be a big factor in its benefit to nature. Shift to sustainable practices and your garden can be a great home improvement tool for supporting nature:

  • Compost kitchen and garden waste to reduce landfill contributions and create nutrient-rich soil
  • Practice water conservation through techniques like mulching and rainwater harvesting
  • Choose organic, sustainable gardening methods that minimise environmental impact
  • Grow some of your own food, reducing transportation emissions and connecting with natural food systems

Check out our: Sustainable Gardening – 10 Tips to Support Nature guide for further support in this area.

3. Energy and Resource Conservation

Graphic of scales, with the greenhouse gas emission CO2 balanced against the Earth

Producing the energy we use and the resources we consume in our homes can major impacts on nature, well before they even reach you. Reducing your energy and resource demand, and nature will benefit as well:

  • Use energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs. LED lights for example are far more efficient and have a longer lifespan
  • Consider renewable energy options like solar panels on your roof, or purchasing electricity from green energy providers
  • Minimise single-use plastics and participate in recycling programs
  • Reduce your overall consumption and choose products with minimal packaging

4. Support Nature Through Your Consumer Choices

Image of market stall selling fresh fruit and vegetables, representing support for sustainable locally sourced goods.

Your purchasing decisions can have big ecological implications. Consider these actions to lessen your potential impact and support nature:

  • Buy products from businesses committed to sustainability and environmentally responsible practices
  • Choose locally produced goods to reduce the transportation emissions contribute towards
  • Support organic farming that maintains soil health and reduces chemical usage
  • Purchase products made from sustainable materials, limiting the impact that producing these products does

5. Mindful Waste Management

Sketch style image displaying plastic pollution impacting wildlife in a coastal area.

Residential homes are a key source of waste, which often leads to impact on nature and biodiversity. Proper waste handling is therefore key to minimise your environmental impact:

  • Properly dispose of electronic waste. If not properly disposed of then pollution can occur, plus precious resources are lost.
  • Minimise chemical disposal in waterways, for example the chemicals you might use to clean equipment and vehicles
  • Participate in local clean-up initiatives to support nature recovery in your neighbourhood

6. Education and Community Engagement

Sketch style image of nature education in a outdoor setting.

Knowledge and collective action are powerful tools. Harness them as a collective and the beneficial impact you can have on nature grows:

  • Learn about your local ecosystems, native species, and environmental challenges
  • Share your knowledge with family and friends
  • Participate in local conservation groups or citizen science projects
  • Support environmental education initiatives

6. Digital and Remote Support

Graphic of web browser screen, representing sustainable digital actions.

Technology offers innovative ways to contribute, and the opportunities technology offers are growing rapidly.

  • Track wildlife sightings you spot and contribute to scientific research. You’ll find there are several apps available to do so
  • Spread awareness through social media about conservation efforts, support online discussion and campaigns
  • Consider donating to reputable environmental organisations

You can also check out our 7 Key Tips to Reduce Your Digital Carbon Footprint for insight into further actions you can take.

Support Nature: Every Action Counts

Image graphic showing silhouette in black transitioning to green in colour, representing transition to a sustainability outlook.

Nature recovery is an ongoing process. Each small action contributes to a larger ecological restoration. Regularly assess your practices, stay informed about environmental developments, and remain adaptable. Do so and you’ll soon have many home improvements and actions in place supporting nature.

Finally, remember that supporting nature isn’t about perfection but consistent, thoughtful action. Every positive choice creates a ripple effect in aid of nature restoration.

To support you further, we also provide the following resources:

Make My Home Sustainable: A Practical Guide to Getting Started

Reduce Your Own Personal Carbon Footprint: 10 Practical Actions

Rewild Your Garden: Simple Tips to Create a Wildlife Haven

We’d love to hear about your own tips for supporting nature at home. Let us know in comments section below, or get in touch via our social media channels linked at the bottom of this page.

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