What does a tree do and how can my house copy it?

So how can my house be like a tree? Let's investigate a tree a little further.

A Tree

     

• Produces oxygen and filters the air 
• Cleans and stabilises the soil helping to build soil structure when it's leaves and fruit compost into the ground
• Produces shelter for the earth and habitat for animals and insects
• Uses it's waste as food for the next cycle
• Filters water
• Turns the sun's light into energy
• Produces food for animals and insects supporting diversity and Eco systems

So can my house really be all of those things?  Well no..., I guess not - however i'm sure I can make changes that will bring my house closer to what a tree does.

Take for instance a tree creating energy from the sun's rays - this is something our house already does with our solar panels.  And if I take in the entire block my house sits on then I can incorporate things like our veggie garden that we use to produce food, and the trees that I have planted that will help improve soil structure and filter water.  

In this way the little bit of land that my house sits on can be part of an eco system - my house's eco system, that in turn will tie in with the larger eco system in our neighbourhood.  This is the way I will approach my challenge. 

However the main area I am interested in is the way a tree uses it's waste as food for another cycle.  Therefore I will investigate how my house's eco system can use the waste that it produces as food for different cycles.  These will include finding cycles inside and outside my house where items we use can be recycled at the end of their life such as composting and metal recycling etc.  

In line with what a tree does I will also investigate the following:

1. Air quality of our house's eco-system
2. Soil health of our house's eco-system
3. Water capture and filtration
4. Energy use and production
5. Food Production

Anything i've missed - feel free to let me know and I will add it to the list to be investigated.

Dirt Girl