Similarly, rainwater runoff from grass can transport pesticides and fertilizers to rivers, lakes, streams and oceans through the sewage system. This can poison fish and other aquatic animals and harm humans who swim, surf, and eat shellfish that may be contaminated. And then, of course, lawnmowers can pollute the air. Lawns are so ubiquitous that Lerman says the U.S.
UU. Claim an estimated 163,800 square kilometers of lawn space across the country, including parks and golf courses. That's basically the combined land mass of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts. But growing your own tiny plot of grass has a number of ecological and environmental consequences.
Unsustainable risks range from the depletion of aquifers to the devastation of local ecosystems. A perfect lawn can also contribute to increased carbon dioxide emissions. Most fertilizers are petroleum-based bags with negative environmental impacts. Herbicides run into our waterways, contaminating the water we drink and the fish we eat.
Those little yellow flags warning about pesticide applications are necessary for a reason; pets and children should not play on lawns where pesticides have been sprayed. Is a weedless lawn more important than the health of your pets and children?. You might have guessed that, given the amount of resources people pour into their lawns to keep them green, they're actually not as green in practice. To keep the grass green, a lot of water is used.
Many lawn owners also use harmful pesticides and herbicides on their lawn. These toxins can end up in our waterways and in our food. And lawn maintenance releases greenhouse gases, such as the fuel needed for lawnmowers. Lawns Are More Than Just Appearances.
Keeping a healthy and thick lawn also benefits the environment. Unlike hard surfaces such as concrete, asphalt and wood, grass helps clean the air, traps carbon dioxide, reduces erosion from stormwater runoff, improves soil, decreases noise pollution and reduces temperatures. And with a responsible, environmentally friendly lawn care company that provides professional services, you'll have a thriving lawn that contributes to the environment in a positive way. While lawns can function as “carbon sinks,” absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, this benefit is often offset by the high carbon cost associated with maintaining these lawns.
Here are some of the positive environmental impacts of turf you should be aware of, provided by research from The Lawn Institute. The truth is, when lawn care is done responsibly, there should be no cause for concern. Of course, it's important that you do your homework and choose the best lawn care company for your needs. Whether you're starting out, doing maintenance, or troubleshooting, you'll find tips and answers for all your lawn care needs here.
For the first part of the study, Milesi used a computer simulation to test the impact of watering the lawn based on a fixed amount or of watering the lawn based on climate and evaporation rates. When I was old enough to pull the starter cable on the lawn mower, I supplemented my dandelion earnings by mowing the lawn. Instead of mown grass, Americans can transform their lawns into frontiers of biodiversity and sustainability, diversifying the surface of turf and allowing some freedom. The truth is that many do-it-yourselfers are unaware of the mandatory protective measures to use lawn care products.
She found that a well-watered and fertilized lawn could actually be a carbon sink - the lawn could take in and store carbon that would otherwise be polluting the air. If you're someone who loves your lawn but also cares about the environment, hiring a professional is a responsible step towards having the best of both worlds. The main culprits are lawn equipment, specifically leaf blowers and gas lawn mowers, and synthetic fertilizers. The study found that if people left their grass clippings on the grass to break down, lawns in the United States could store 16.7 teragrams, or 37 billion pounds, of carbon each year.
To maximize the positive qualities of turf and reduce negative ones, a change in the way Americans view turf may be required. . .
