April 22nd is Earth Day. One solitary day set aside to increase everyone’s awareness of our environment and serving as a means to heighten the public’s consciousness about what is happening to the land, oceans, lakes, rivers and streams all around us.
Earth Day is set aside to promote the benefits derived from recycling, using natural cleaning products, conserving our natural resources and education.
Perhaps you never gave it much thought, but your lawn contributes immeasurable to the collective efforts of Earth Day.
Each and every day when turfgrass is growing it offers considerable benefits to our environment such as those listed below.
• Cooling the Air
The front lawns on a block of eight average homes have the cooling effect of 70 tons of air conditioning.
• Producing Oxygen
55 square feet of turfgrass provides enough oxygen for one person for an entire day.
• Filtering the Air and Reducing Pollution
Turfgrass traps an estimated 12 million tons of dust and dirt released annually into the atmosphere.
• Recharging & Filtering Groundwater Supplies
One of the key mechanisms by which turfgrasses preserve water is their superior capability to provide water infiltration through the soil turfgrass ecosystem.
• Reducing Storm Water Runoff
Turfgrasses preserve water by trapping and holding runoff with their higher root plant density.
• Controlling Soil Erosion
Turfgrasses are relatively inexpensive, durable groundcovers that protect our valuable, non-renewable soil resource from water and wind erosion.
• Retaining and Sequestering Carbon
Lawn areas in the U.S alone could store up to 37 billion pounds of carbon.
• Restoring Soil Quality
An extremely import function of turfgrass is soil improvement through organic matter additions derived from the turnover of roots and other plant tissues.
When you add the community, human health and economic benefits that turfgrass has to offer it becomes very clear – – when it comes to your lawn… everyday is Earth Day.