The Environmental Benefits of a Healthy Lawn

These days, we all know how important it is to minimize our impact on the Earth. But did you know that your lawn, when healthy and flourishing, is also helping to protect our environment? Grassy areas have many benefits beyond aesthetics, here are a few of the ways in which your lawn can help our planet.

1. Oxygen

This is one of the most important benefits of a healthy lawn, since humans and wildlife all rely on oxygen to live. Healthy grass absorbs carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases, and creates clean oxygen for us to breathe. By absorbing greenhouse gases, healthy turf helps to counteract climate change. Fun fact: a 50’ x 50’ lawn can produce enough oxygen to support a family of four for one year.

2. Cooling

You can think of your lawn as the Earth’s natural air conditioner. Grassy areas absorb the sun’s heat to facilitate the photosynthesis process during the daytime, and release the heat in the evening, helping to moderate the temperature of the surrounding area. You can feel the difference for yourself on a hot day. If you stand on the pavement, you will feel that the area around you is much warmer than if you stand in your lawn. In fact, your lawn is so effective at cooling the air that on a hot Summer day, it will be 10 – 14 degrees fahrenheit cooler on your grass than than nearby paved areas.

3. Water filtration

A healthy lawn effectively slows down water runoff. Turf also protects our surface water because it filters the water percolating into our water systems as it flows through. On average, 50,000 gallons of water can percolate through the turf on a soccer field before any runoff is created.

4. Noise reduction

Noise pollution, although not something we typically think of when discussing the environment, can be extremely damaging to wildlife. Animals are very dependent on sound for many processes in their daily lives. These processes include hunting, attracting a mate, and protecting themselves. Noise pollution can interrupt these processes, or cause hearing loss to wildlife, making it impossible for them to function naturally. Your lawn helps to reduce noise pollution by absorbing some of the sound. In an urban area, lawns and grassy areas can decrease noise by up to 10 decibels.

5. Erosion Control

Turf helps water to percolate down into the soil rather than creating runoff that carries sediment away into our drainage systems and waterways. The grass intercepts water from rainfall and irrigation before it interacts directly with the soil which helps to facilitate this process. This is also helpful to humans because it allows us to keep fertile soil from being carried away. Another way in which your lawn prevents erosion is through its root system. The roots stabilize the surrounding soil which prevents sediment from moving out of place.

While a healthy green lawn looks great, the environmental benefits of keeping your lawn in good shape are just as important. We are proud to state that Hometurf has helped to contribute to our Earth’s supply of healthy turf by planting enough grass seed in 2016 to cultivate 2,000 football fields! That’s a lot of oxygen, noise pollution reduction, and natural air conditioning for our area. This Saturday March 25th at 8:30 PM is Earth Hour, we hope you will participate and do your part to help improve our environment!