Environmental Benefits of Healthy Lawns Often Overlooked

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Canada - Across North America, more than 20 million acres of lawns have sprung back to life, providing a soft landing for kids at play, a blanket for families to picnic and a cushion for bare feet to roam. 

Yet the greatest benefit of healthy grass - what it means to the 
environment - is one that is nearly always overlooked. Indeed, turf is about much more than aesthetics. For most urban communities, it's the foundation of the neighborhood's ecosystem. 

"As a society we tend to take the benefits of grass for granted," says
Jim Beard Ph.D., one of the leading turf experts in the United States and the 
chief scientist at the International Sports Turf Institute. "Because it's 
around us every day, people don't think about the fact that a healthy turf 
generates oxygen for improved air quality and controls runoff and erosion. 
Most homeowners don't realize noise and air pollution are reduced in most 
suburban areas because the grass ecosystem serves as a natural filter for the 
environment. The scientific evidence clearly shows that a healthy lawn is good for 
the environment." 

Specifically, Beard and other scientists say a healthy lawn provides the 
following environmental benefits:

       -  Cooling. Lawns have substantial cooling effect via evaporation. 
       -  Clean air: Grass not only creates oxygen but improves the quality 
          of the environment by removing pollutants and other particles from 
          the atmosphere. 
       -  Decomposes organic pollutants: Turf organisms are active in the 
          decomposition of organic waste and hydrocarbons, which leads to 
          soil improvement 
       -  Lessens global warming: Grass can absorb and sequester carbon 
          dioxide greenhouse gases. 
       -  Noise filter. Grass and other ornamentals help absorb sound, 
          potentially reducing noise pollution in some areas by 
          20-30 percent.

Perhaps the benefits of turf are largely unnoticed since the lawn as we 
know it today is a relatively new phenomenon. At the turn of the 20th century, 
lawns - where they existed - were the product of sweepings from haymow and 
were filled with weeds that were difficult, if not impossible, to control. But 
in 1907, an Ohio-based entrepreneur named O.M. Scott began offering grass seed by mail that was relatively weed-free for its time. It wasn't until the 1920s 
that Scott began selling grass seed in retail stores. 

Throughout its history, the company has continued to innovate and has 
developed grasses that are easier to grow, more resistant to disease, tolerant 
of drought and virtually free of weeds. Scotts' other innovations include the 
first controlled release lawn fertilizer, first pest control product for lawns 
and the first lawn spreader. 

"It's true that most homeowners are making large investments in their 
lawns because they take pride in the beauty associated with them," says
Dr. Karl Danneberger, a professor of Horticulture and Crop Science at The Ohio 
State University. "But it's important for homeowners to know that the beauty 
they're creating actually is helping to support the environment." 

Turf scientists say one of the best ways to achieve these benefits is to 
maintain healthy turf, which means feeding it on a regular basis with a 
fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. While some 
people believe these fertilizers are likely to run off a lawn and cause 
pollution, the scientists say the opposite is true. 

"Like human beings, there are vital nutrients that grass needs to be as 
healthy as possible," says Dr. Beard, who is also professor emeritus at Texas 
A&M University. "And just like people, if grass is well-fed, it becomes 
healthier and stronger. Multiple studies have shown that healthy turf acts as 
a sponge, actually reducing runoff not causing it." 

Feeding a lawn is not a complicated process. However, it's important that 
homeowners apply the product correctly, which means using it in the proper 
amounts, sweeping excess particles from the driveway or patio back onto the 
lawn and avoiding putting products on streets, where they can be inadvertently 
washed into storm drains. 

"Responsible use of products not only will help create healthy turf, but 
it's also a sure way that all homeowners can help to protect the environment," 
said Chris Schmenk, director of Environmental Stewardship at The Scotts 
Co. "We certainly don't want to see the environmental benefits of healthy 
lawns diminished by improper use of our products - or any lawn care product." 

Schmenk urges homeowners to read and follow label instructions for both 
the use and storage of fertilizers and other lawn and garden products. 
Homeowners who are confused about which product to buy or how to properly use lawn care products should contact a lawn care professional to take care of their turf needs.