Going Green While Growing Green
Going green in a home lawn care program doesn’t have to be a daunting task. There are some easy, cost-effective steps homeowners can take to improve their lawns while enhancing the positive effects of lawn maintenance on the environment.
A healthy lawn is not only beautiful; it provides great benefits for the environment. Consider that:
- Every 2,500 square feet of lawn produces enough oxygen each day for a family of four.
- Lawns reduce noise pollution by absorbing, deflecting and refracting sounds.
- Lawns trap and help control dust, soot and pollen in the air that can cause allergic reactions.
- Turf absorbs gaseous pollutants (such as carbon dioxide) from vehicles, thus serving to combat greenhouse effect implicated in global warming.
- A healthy lawn reduces storm water runoff and directs its flow through the soil to recharge groundwater.
- On a hot summer day grass can be 10-14 degrees cooler than bare soil and as much as 30 degrees cooler that concrete or asphalt.
- Lawn grasses prevent soil erosion by water and wind. Less dust and mud makes its way into a home.
How can a homeowner reduce their lawn waste and lessen their environmental impact? We offer the following tips:
- Select the proper fertilizer for your lawn
- Never apply any fertilizer to a hard surface such as sidewalks, driveways or streets
- Do not wash your spreader out over a hard surface
- Do not blow grass clippings or tree leaves onto sidewalks or into streets
- Rainwater from gutters and down spouts should be directed onto the lawn area instead of directly onto hard surfaces
- Cover bare ground with vegetation or mulch to prevent soil erosion
- Do not use “all purpose” garden-type fertilizers for lawns























































