On a solar home tour a few years ago, the homeowner said that an unexpected benefit of adding solar collectors to the south-facing roof was a significantly cooler attic. Direct sun was no longer heating up the roof materials, but was intercepted by the flat solar panels. In addition, the air that was heated between the collector and the roof rose upward on the sloped roof, creating a flow of air that further cooled the roof. So the solar panels not only supplied the family with hot water, but also reduced the household's cooling load.
If you use a tree or vine instead of a manufactured solar collector to intercept the sun's energy, the little solar collectors called “leaves” can provide similar ecological services. For example, a deciduous tree planted on the west or south side of your house can shade your windows from the heat of the day during the warm season. In the winter, when the tree has lost its leaves, the sun can help warm your house. A low-maintenance native tree such as a western redbud or an elderberry can also bring more birds to your garden.
Or plant a fruit tree for yourself (and protect it from the birds!), if you don't mind the regular maintenance it will require. Growing some of your own food can reduce your “food miles” – the distance from harvest to plate – from the U.S. average of 1500 and save you gas as well as the time it takes to drive. Having a bumper crop of homegrown fruit can help you eat more healthy food and can make you more creative, as you strive to find new ways to prepare or preserve it. Or, if you can't use it all, you can share it with your neighbors or with a gleaning organization such as Village Harvest.
Instead of planting a deciduous tree, you can build an arbor on the west or south side of your house and plant a vine or shrub to shade your house and reduce your cooling needs. Grapes, thornless blackberries, passion fruit, and kiwi fruit are some choice edibles for an arbor, or you can select a flowering vine. The native grape produces tiny fruit, but the Roger's Red variety has spectacular fall color, and as with any grape, you can use the leaves to make dolmas.
Moving your cooking outdoors can help keep your house cooler during heat waves. Portable outdoor grills are the most common choice, but I've seen an outdoor gas-powered wok in a garden as well as solar cookers.
And then, of course, you can save even more energy by enjoying your meal in a shady outdoor room where you can feel the breeze and listen to birdsong. Instead of traveling halfway around the world to a peaceful retreat, make your own garden so relaxing and appealing that you won't want to leave. If you live in a noisy neighborhood, add a burbling fountain near your favorite seating area. The sound of gently moving water is an instant stress reducer.
And finally, retire the power mower and leaf blower. No one likes the noise pollution, and you will save time and money by planting a garden that does not need constant resource-intensive upkeep. If you need a lawn as a play area, try a manual mower and a drought-tolerant grass.
© 2008 Tanya Kucak