In the United States there are between 30-40 MILLION acres of home lawns. By the end of 2023, 70 MILLION pounds of chemical PESTICIDES will be used on those lawns to keep them green. Unfortunately, all these chemicals reduce our lawns ECOLOGICAL super powers. The key to unlocking a lawns true potential lays UNDER the grass, in the soil.
Let’s look at what your lawn can do:
1 Soil Erosion Control.
Those dense blades help stabilize the soil, and the grass’s root mass prevents erosion by reducing water run off and promoting infiltration. So when we get these monthly DOWNPOURS your lawn acts like a blanket by preventing the soil from being washed off.
2 Climate Obsessed.
24/7 365 days of the year-when properly managed, the grass in your yard is absorbing and storing carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.
3 Biodiversity Support.
Your lawn acts as a habitat for wildlife, birds, and beneficial insects. Properly managed lawns lay on top of soil that houses billions of microorganisms (which optimize carbon sequestrating and soil erosion control).
4 Air Purification.
The lawn in yard absorbs pollutants from the air which improves the air quality in the surrounding area.
5 Water Filtration.
A healthy lush lawn acts as a natural filter, trapping and breaking down pollutants from rainwater and irrigation runoff before they enter the groundwater or nearby waterways, thus improving water quality.
All of these benefits are optimized when your grass and soil are working in harmony. When we rely on chemicals to produce a “healthy” appearance of green grass, it’s done at the cost of the soil which is not sustainable. A great example is lawn disease; Using fungicides to target and kill microorganisms on the grass also effects the soil. Although effective, fungicides kill beneficial microorganisms as well! This greatly reduces soil health and reduces the positive impact your lawn has on the environment.
Taking a balanced approached that focuses on both the grass and soil makes a BIG impact.
