Project EverGreen Supports National Lawn Care Month

Source: www.TurfMagazine.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio – April is National Lawn Care Month, a time when homeowners thawing out after a long winter start seeing and thinking green. Dormant grass begins to grow, trees begin to bud and Americans around the country begin their outdoor home improvement projects or enjoy backyard barbecues. Green spaces encompass more than yards, and Project EverGreen wants people to start thinking outside the yard.

Project EverGreen, whose mission is to preserve and enhance green spaces in our communities where we live, work and play, knows that green spaces encompass more than just lawns. Sports fields, golf courses, parks and other public green spaces all contribute to the health and well-being of our communities and families.

Americans understand that the upkeep of their yard is important to the overall look and the value of their homes. What they might not know is how that lawn and green spaces in general contribute to the overall health of the families and communities.

Healthy lawns and green spaces provide enormous benefits to communities:

Environmental Benefits:

  • A single tree can remove enough carbon dioxide annually to equal 11,000 miles of car emissions.
  • A 50-by-50-foot lawn produces enough oxygen for a family of four.
  • A dense cover of plants and mulch holds soil in place, keeping sediment out of lakes, streams, storm drains and roads; and reducing flooding, mudslides and dust storms.
  • Turf improves water quality by storing and filtering the water that would otherwise go into catch-basins and lakes.

Lifestyle Benefits:

  • Green spaces are gathering places that create close-knit communities and improve well-being-and in doing so, they increase safety.
  • Well-placed plantings offer privacy and tranquility by screening out busy street noises and reducing glare from headlights.
  • Psychologists have found that access to plants and green spaces provides a sense of rest and allows workers to be more productive.

Economic Benefits:

  • Lawns are 30 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than asphalt and 14 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than bare soil in the heat of summer, which saves on heating and cooling costs.
  • There is a significant link between the value of a property and its proximity to parks, greenbelts and other green spaces.

To learn more about healthy green spaces, visit projectevergreen.org.