The world is facing a serious problem with global warming. This has paved the way for us to think of alternative energy sources and reduce the emission of Green House Gases to the atmosphere. We are aware of the scarce natural resources that we use in generating electricity. We should not use all the resources only for our consumption. We should think of our descendants and leave some amount of resources for their consumption. Life should be sustained upon this earth. There are various sources of sustainable energy: solar energy, wind energy, tidal power, bio-energy and hydro-electricity. We have to use the latest technologies available to meet our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. There are both renewable and non-renewable sources of energy and the majority of the world’s thought has been to develop renewable sources.

All the world’s leaders have urged the nations across the world to emphasize renewable sources of energy. This way, we can have a Green Earth and have a good ecological balance to maintain the process of life. The United Nations has come out with a system of so-called “Carbon Credits” to encourage the countries to go for renewable sources of energy. This proved successful in the last 3 years of ‘Carbon Credit’ trading strategy. A special day, “Earth day”, on April 22 has been able to create awareness among the masses to contribute their fair share for a Greener Earth. Earth Summit is also going to take place in Rio De Janeiro in 2012 to assess the present global situation. Both the developing and developed countries should go side by side towards the goal of sustainable energy. If every individual is successful in providing their contribution towards a Green Earth, then there is no doubt that sustainable energy can be a real thing rather than a dream.

Growing herbs is the easiest kind of gardening. Millions attempt herb gardens and yet it fails. The reason for this isn’t that some have greener thumbs than others, but the root of success is based in the knowledge of how to grow herbs.

An herb garden is a compliment to any home or kitchen. Growing herbs can also be an indoor or outdoor activity. Thus it is possible to grow herbs in pots or directly in the soil. It is perhaps the most cost effective gardening you can do as well. With a little capital layout, creativity, work and patience, growing herbs can be an achievable gardening goal.

What will you need?

First, choose the herbs to grow for your garden. There are many different types of herbs ranging from sorrel, basil, thyme to parsley and so forth. The best option for beginners is to buy an herb seed mix for planting. The alternative is to visit your local nursery for small herb plants.

Where to plant?

If you have a plot of land near the kitchen, it would probably be best to plant your herb garden there. However, if you do not have that kind of space you have other options. Using a (flower) box, pots or a creative alternative like a raised bed would also be great for growing herbs. Herbs need space to grow, but they truly are very forgiving about where you place them as long as they get what they need.

The growing of most herbs is seasonal so they should be planted when appropriate e.g. at the beginning of spring in semi shade. Follow the instructions on the packet of seeds or ask your local nursery for advice when purchasing plants. Growing herbs in an apartment means using the window sills or landing to maximize sunlight and perhaps the roof to create a small herb garden.

Try to keep the growing of herbs organic. The joy of growing herbs is being able to use them in your food. Growing herbs, if done right, can be environmentally friendly, calming and rewarding.

There may be several reasons for you to choose a home that includes a garden. One possibly is that you have children and would like to have somewhere safe for them to play. Another is to create an outdoor room for barbecues and summer get-togethers which can be enjoyed by your entire gaggle of family and friends.

First decide how big a garden you would like to have, bear in mind that the bigger it is, the more maintenance it will need to keep it looking great. If you are already a keen gardener, this will not matter, or if you would like to develop the interest, you would have the option of turning part of it into a vegetable garden and saving money by eating your own produce.

It is usually older properties which have the largest gardens, few modern houses are built on large plots of land, unless you wish to buy a plot and have your house built. Another possibility if you would like a modern house with a large garden, is to buy a very run down property on a suitable plot and to both demolish it and rebuild, or to make extensive repairs so that the house as well as the garden will fit your needs. This will obviously be a long term project, so think carefully because it could be more expensive than you realize.

When you are looking for properties with gardens, talk to the real estate agents in your area and explain to them that, for you, this is a priority. They will then list your requirements and as any suitable properties become available, they will contact you and schedule an appointment for you to see it. Look also at the private listings in your local newspapers; this can be another way to find the right home for you. There are many properties with gardens; you just need to find the one that is right for you and your family.

Okay, the easy answer is to water your garden when there is no water coming out of the sky. However, in sever drought situations there can be water rationing rules and laws that apply during that time that don’t apply when water is plentiful. This means that it’s not only important to water on the days that your property falls on but also watering very early in the morning or in the evening can also help your garden flourish.

There is another somewhat unproven thing you can do that my grandfather practiced when water was short. He would pick the crop a few days early and let them ripen in the house instead of on the vine. His reasoning made sense to me then and still does today though I cannot prove it scientifically. He believed that by taking as much from the plant as early as possible without damage to the vegetable or fruit, it would have more to give to what was left on the stem or vine. You can try it and see what you think.

If it is forecast and you know there will be little water in the growing season, seek out plants and hybrid plants that are hearty in arid or drought prone areas. Science is working very hard to find ways of producing seeds and plants that can thrive on less water thus reducing the amount of water your garden will need over the season. You can check with your extension program at the nearest University to see if they have updated information on these types of plants or seeds for your area.

Finally, you can reduce the size of your garden and contain it in smaller areas like raised beds of pots. You might be surprised just how much you can plant in a small area.

The one thing I hope you never do is give up on your garden for any reason.