The calendar suggests that April 22nd is Earth Day. One solitary day set aside to increase everyone’s awareness of our environment and serve 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. Volunteers across the country plant trees, work to prevent soil erosion, support programs to protect our water supplies and through numerous organizations commit their time and talents to conserving and protecting our natural resources.
Perhaps you never gave it much thought, but your lawn contributes immeasurably to the collective efforts of Earth Day. Each and every day when turfgrass is growing it offers considerable benefits to our environment:
· 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 & Reducing Pollution
Turfgrasses trap 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 plant root 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 important function of turfgrass is soil improvement through organic matter addictions derived from the decomposition 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 yours lawn . . . every day is Earth Day.