Green Energy

Everyone likes the beauty of a lush, green lawn that is weed-free and healthy.   But is your green lawn really “green”? i.e. Is it earth friendly ? Is it friendly to the nature around you?

You can have a green lawn and still be “green” or “eco-friendly”. Here are some ideas for lawncare and ideal of the green lawn .

Select the grass that is right for your lawn

What kind of grass is there in your lawn?  Does this grass thrive well in your climate?   People living in the North and Pacific Northwest, who deal with cool and humid climates, should plant fescue and Kentucky bluegrass.   For those living in the warm and humid South or Southwest, zoysia, Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses are the best choices.   People living in the cool and semi-arid Plains should plant Buffalo grass.

Feed and nourish your soil

Ok. Now you have the right grass to use.  How’s is the state of your soil?  Is it nutrient rich?  Is it healthy?   Choose organic products to feed your lawn instead of synthetic fertilizers.   Though more expensive in the beginning, organic products will pay off over the long haul. For example. organic fertilizers last longer than synthetic fertilizers, which means fewer applications of the organic fertilizer.   Important note: Just because you are using an organic fertilizer, it doesn’t mean you can be careless with its usage. Organic fertlizers can cause water pollution just as synthetics can. So be sure to sweep the fertilizer off sidewalks or driveways back onto your lawn to prevent water pollution. 

Control the weeds

Use organic, non-toxic pest control products. There are plenty of such safe alternatives in the market these days. There is no excuse any more to add more toxic chemicals to our lawns to control weeds, and increase the pollution to our streams and rivers and ground water in the process. This helps maintain an organic lawn.

Improve your watering habits

Most people over-water their lawns. If you have moss growing on your driveway, or sidewalk edges, then it is a sure sign that you are over-watering your lawn. Use an inexpensive lawn moisture meter or if you can afford it, a more comprehensive intelligent lawn irrigation system to get your watering usage under control.

The other smart eco-friendly thing to do is to collect and reuse rain water. Just put a barrel under your gutter’s downspout and you will see just how easily it fills up with “free” rain water, nature’s own gift to water your lawn when you need to!

Another smart water habit is to avoid hosing down your driveway with water . Every time you hose your driveway, you are also washing away oils, toxic chemicals etc. which end up in rivers and other water sources, polluting them.

Be smart about mowing your lawn

Who knew that the exhaust from lawn mowers is a major contributor to air pollution? Now that you do, it’s time to choose a push mower. For health or other reasons if you can’t pick a push mower, you can do well to choose a plugin mower.  It has a better (smaller) carbon footprint compared to gas-driven mowers.

Are you throwing away those grass clippings from your lawn mower?  Most people do!  But that is a fantastic resource you are wasting. If you used a mulching lawn mower, the grass clippings are crushed and left right on the grass, and this does two things for your grass – it provides it food, and it conserves the amount of water the grass needs to grow. Amazing isn’t it?

Eliminate your gas-powered blowers

Are you using a gas-powered leaf blower?  Did you know that they are a major source of pollution with a major carbon footprint? You’d do well to revert to rakes and brooms for eliminating your leaves. And while this extra effort may seem too onerous, you will be pleased to know that you will be getting the exercise you need in the process. That’s a win-win. You help yourself while choosing a method that is earth-friendly.

Don’t waste your yard waste

Don’t get rid of your yard waste. You can collect it and compost it. Composting is a simple way to convert yard waste, and other organic household waste like vegetable and animal product waste into a nutrient-dense compost for your soil.

And one real good reason to choose “synthetic” to go “green” …

Surprised by this suggestion? Consider this. Let’s say you are living in a dry area, but have a serious addiction to lush, green grass in your lawn. Choosing the conventional way, you will be consuming huge amount of water, a scarce resource in your region – that is certainly not friendly to the place you live in. What choices do you have if you still wanted to be “green” in this situation ? One idea : Choose synthetic grass. Synthetic grass looks lush and can bring the green you wish to your yard. It can last for 10 years , and uses little water . And it does look amazingly real ! Imagine that!  Finally!  A synthetic solution that is actually “green”!

All in all, these are practical ways for ensuring that your lush, green lawn is also “green”, and friendly to the environment of which we are a part .