Photo: Codwell Banker

We all focus on making our home a safe place to live, especially if we have small children or pets. Making your front yard, sidewalk, and street safer takes a little more effort. It’s easy to stay indoors and be safe, but making your neighbourhood a green, eco-friendly and safe place for our families takes making a change, and it all starts with you! Here are some simple ways you can make a difference:

Landscape and Garden

Getting out and sprucing up your front yard is the first step to making your neighbourhood green and environmentally friendly! It’s also a smart way to amp up your home’s curb appeal, but for a great cause. Planting a few trees, starting a flower garden, and planting some shrubs that give off nice blooms in the spring will liven up your neighbourhood. It’s also a great way to meet other neighbours, lower our stress, and sharpen up your green thumb!

Photo: David Morello Garden Enterprises, Inc.

Pay Attention to Speed Limits

Even if the speed limit on your street is above 20mph, you may be surprised that it could be less! Look online and check if your street falls in the category of the “20’s plenty” campaign. This will help lower the speed limit on your street, making it a safer place for your kids to place outdoors and enjoy the fresh air. You can also check to see if your street is allowed more road traffic signs that permit passing other cars or “children crossing/playing” warning signs.

Start a Vegetable Patch

You won’t believe the power of gardening and what a difference it makes on our mental health and way of thinking! Even if you have a small yard, you can always fit in an herb garden and start a vegetable garden or consider container planting which is a popular method for small yards or balconies. You can also plant on a windowsill or start a community-growing patch. This is a great way to get your neighbourhood involved and get people thinking differently about your community and space.

Clip Interior Design

Make Your Neighbourhood Colorful

There are so many ways you can warn drivers that your street is a community where people live, play, and drive respectfully. Call your city council and see if there are ways you can make your place colourful. If you are artistic, consider the idea of painting a beautiful wall mural to add positivity and artsy flair to your neighbourhood.

Organize a Community Event

Street parties are a fun way to get to know your neighbours and create a safer, warmer environment to live in. There are tons of creative ways to organize a street party such as a cookout, bike race for the kids, and so much more. Get to know one another and you would be surprised at what a difference it makes in making your neighbourhood safe, fun, and a wonderful place to live!

Photo: Lowes.com