Spring Fever
It’s Easy Being Green
By: Cindy Chapman
Whether you’re still working on your New Year’s resolution or just looking forward to warmer weather, here are a few ways to get your home, body and mind ready for spring.
Get Outside
Whether you like to hit a ball, get your steps in, or dine al fresco, there is a lot to do outside in 76262. Below are just more few cures for your cabin fever.
Find a walking trail or map out your local neighborhood and see just how far you can go. Challenge yourself by signing up for a local charity 5K and use your steps for a good cause.
Try a new skill or dust off an old one. Visit the skate park or outdoor volleyball court at Cannon Parkway Park in Roanoke or hit the 18-hold disc golf course in Trophy Club. Check out Cinnamon Creek Ranch for a challenging outdoor archery course.
Hit the links at Trophy Club Country Club or the Golf Club at Champions Circle. Take the crew to Big Shots Golf for a family fun outdoor virtual golf experience.
Become one with nature as you bike or hike Knob Creek Trails off 377 or drop a line at Grapevine Lake or the pond at Roanoke Community Park.
Dig in the Dirt
As the weather warms and the ground thaws, many 76262 residents are ready to put their green thumbs to work.
Start flower and vegetable seeds indoors.
Plant trees and shrubs and remove dead vegetation and weeds.
Freshen up or repair landscaping borders.
Follow horticulture experts like Neil Sperry for recommendations that are tailored to North Texas.
Inspect yard equipment like sprinklers, lawnmowers, water features, and outdoor illumination, so they’re working properly.
Household Cleaning
Chances are you already have these non-toxic and environmentally-friendly cleaning options right in your pantry. These green products keep pollutants out of the water and air, and you’re saving money by not having to buy expensive cleaning products. Bonus! You’re buying less plastic too!
White vinegar and apple cider vinegar are great for cleaning glass, tile and freshening fabric.
Baking soda’s natural deodorizing quality freshens up mattresses, carpets and rugs. It’s also a mild abrasive so it’s perfect for cleaning grout and hard water stains in the kitchen and bathroom.
When you mix baking soda and vinegar, you can clean your garbage disposal, unclog drains, treat pet stains or even remove mildew from the bathroom.
Declutter
When it comes time to get rid of things we don’t need anymore, it might be easy just to drop them in the garbage and set the can on the curb. But by just taking a couple of extra steps, you can help keep items out of the landfill.
Gather your unwanted but still usable items and have a garage sale or sell them online. Better yet, join a “For Free” Facebook group in your neighborhood and someone else would be glad to give it a new home for you.
For clothing, ask your local school if they need business attire for students to give professional presentations or attend interviews.
Donate used towels and bedding to animal rescue organizations that can use them for pet bedding and cleaning.
Waste
For those items that cannot be donated or given away, make sure that your city accepts those items as waste. Make 2023 the year that your household makes positive changes to help protect the environment by following three simple steps: reduce, reuse, recycle.
The best action is to recycle items that can no longer be used. Check your city’s website for more information about recycling. Currently, both Trophy Club and Roanoke accept all colored glass, cardboard, paper, and plastic bottles and containers labeled 1,2,3,4,5 and 7.
Contact your city on how to dispose of hazardous materials like pool chemicals, motor oil, fertilizer and paints. Look for community events that typically take place in the spring that accept electronic recycling and paper shredding as well.
Trophy Club’s Community Clean Up will take place on April 29, 2023, from 8 am to 12 pm. Roanoke’s Crud Cruiser will be available on March 18, 2023, from 9 am to 11am.