Aqua Wise grass saves as much as 40% water.
Green Grass Can Still Provide Water Savings
Posted in General by Curtis Williams
Like so many things in life, the effort to “save water” by eliminating residential and commercial grass lawns has good intentions yet unintended consequences.
A recent article by Bloomberg Businessweek illustrates the frequent harsh trade-off when living, organic landscaping is torn out. The fact is that grass lawns provide far more positive effects for the environment than they are given credit.
As noted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals:
• Lawns trap more than 12 million tons of dust and dirt annually. (The Lawn Institute)
• Turfgrass, like that found in our lawns, is much cooler than asphalt or cement, acting as an “air conditioner” for the surrounding area (lawns can be 22 degrees cooler than urban asphalt “heat islands”).
• Healthy turfgrass has many miles of fibrous roots that hold soil and filter rainwater. (National Arboretum Grass Roots Project) A single grass plant can have more than 300 miles of roots.
• It is estimated that a 50 by 50 foot lawn (2,500 square feet), releases enough oxygen for a family of four, while absorbing carbon dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, and perosyacetyle nitrate.
• Research has found that people find stress relief and healing when interacting with nature or even when just viewing nature on a computer screen or through a window. (NatureSacred.org)
At Turf Merchants, we support water savings in a responsible manner through our Aqua Wise® program. Grasses that earn the Aqua Wise designation can save as much as 40% over most commercial varieties. The turfgrass qualified through this program reduces the need for supplemental irrigation while providing all of the benefits of natural grass.
Water use reductions can be achieved with better understanding of the options available, and a commitment to responsible landscaping.