Fall into Sustainability
Fall is here! It is such a beautiful time of year with the leaves changing colors and the temperatures easing up from that summer heat. As we move into autumn, Keep Knoxville Beautiful would like to share some simple tips on how to fall into sustainability (forgive the pun – we couldn’t resist!)
Stay warm
Cozy fall. Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash.
There are lots of ways to stay warm without cranking up the thermostat! Put extra blankets on your bed, wear heavier sweaters and thick socks when lounging around the house, and enjoy a hot cup of your drink of choice to stay toasty and cozy. Even lowering the temperature a few degrees from what you are accustomed to can help save energy.
Check your tires
The cooler temperatures can lower the tire pressure on your car. I always know that cold weather is here to stay when my tire pressure light comes on! Lower tire pressure can decrease fuel efficiency, which means your car is having to work even harder, which isn’t great for the environment. Make sure to properly inflate your tires, which will help out the environment and your wallet this fall.
Plant bulbs for spring
Are you already dreaming about your spring garden? Well, fall is one of the best times to get started! Plant bulbs before the first frost date so that they have time to establish themselves before the temperatures drop. Tulips, daffodils, irises can all be planted in the fall, which will ensure that your garden has beautiful color come spring! As well, if you have kept any houseplants outdoors during the warmer months, it is time to bring them inside so that they won’t freeze with the cold temperatures.
Leave the leaves
Leaves are not Litter. Photo by Xerces.
Raking leaves is one of the most recognizable fall activities, but leaving the leaves is actually an important part of nature’s cycle. The fallen leaves provide winter cover to pollinators and other animals, such as butterflies, snails, and spiders. Fallen leaves also fertilize the soil as they break down. If you must remove the leaves, then consider composting the leaves instead of throwing them away. The City of Knoxville does curbside leaf collection from November to February and recycles the leaves into mulch.
Sustainable Halloween
Halloween is one of the best parts of fall, and there are many ways to make sure that your Halloween is sustainable – from DIY decorations to buying local pumpkins to creating costumes from what you already have in your closet! Check out our post from last year about how to have a sustainable Halloween, and make sure to keep a copy of our Halloween Candy Recycling Guide handy!
Plant-based Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is another highlight of autumn, especially with all that delicious food! If you are looking to make your Thanksgiving more sustainable, try incorporating more plant based options onto the menu. After the big meal, you can transform your leftovers into many other tasty meals so that you are not wasting food!
Go outside
Fall in the Smoky Mountains. Photo by Visit My Smokies.
With the cooler temperatures, it is much more pleasant to go outside now than it is in the middle of an unforgiving East Tennessee summer! Head up to the Smokies to see the gorgeous autumnal colors, or enjoy even more local escapism at the Urban Wilderness or one of Knoxville’s many city or county parks.
Pick up litter
As the leaves fall and the vegetation begins to die back, there is one thing we are going to start to see a lot more of – litter! This is because in the summer, litter becomes hidden by the thick, tall grass, blooming flowers, and wide-spreading kudzu. As all of this dies back, the litter will become apparent again. Brave the cold weather by helping out your community and picking up some litter!