OPEI has made notable efforts in studying the effects of a healthy lawn on the environment and its ability to lower your overall carbon footprint. Grass possesses the ability to capture water run-off, dust and carbon. In fact, a properly maintained lawn can sequester a large amount of carbon, up to four times the amount produced by today’s lawn equipment. This has tremendous ability to reduce your carbon footprint and increase your positive effect on the environment as a whole. Equally important to properly cutting your lawn and leaving the clippings behind to increase carbon absorption, you must optimize your watering system by using the right plants for your location. Various turf grasses and ornamentals are better suited for different climate zones, so choose accordingly. This will allow you the most efficient water usage. To further increase turf’s ability to absorb carbon and battle other harmful elements, the following tips can be a good starting point.
• Mow your lawn at higher cutting heights.
• Keep your lawn mowers in good shape - perform routine tune-ups and maintenance.
• Use sharp lawn mower blades, otherwise there is risk of turf disease and damage.
• Water your lawn in the morning. This reduces the sun’s ability to absorb the moisture intended for the roots.
For more information, OPEI’s study is available
here.
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