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Are lawns environmentally friendly? Are there alternatives?

Eric: Each weekend, 54 million Americans get up early on their day off and roll the trusty, old mower out of the garage to mow some 20 million acres of lawn. From mowing, to watering, to fertilizing, lawns consume an immense amount of resources and are responsible for an equally offensive amount of pollution.

Lawn care is a big business, totaling some $25 billion each year. But beyond the cost for the materials and equipment, we cannot discuss lawns without mentioning their environmental cost.

Mowing

As anyone who has ever used a lawn mower will attest, these engines are not very efficient. They emit high levels of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, producing up to 5% of the nation's air pollution. A conventional lawn mower pollutes as much in an hour as driving your car for 100 miles.

In an effort to keep the lawn looking good, we annually use 800 million gallons of gas, producing tons of air pollutants. In fact, just switching to a push-type mower instead of a power mower will help reduce CO2 in the atmosphere by 80 pounds a year per lawn.

Perhaps more surprising than the gas we use, is the gas we misuse. According to the EPA, 17 million gallons of gasoline are spilled each year while refueling lawn equipment. To put that into perspective, that is more than all the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez.

Once we mow the lawn, the clippings generate over 160 million tons of solid waste annually. The second largest component of our solid waste is this yard waste.

Ironically, most grass is not meant to be cut so short. The short, well-manicured lawn does not have the same effect of shading the soil, increasing the need for water. Additionally, tall grass can have a much deeper root system, resulting in less need for watering.

Watering

30 to 60 per cent of all urban fresh water is used for watering lawns. For some reason, most people water their lawns during the day, when the sun is the hottest, causing more than half this amount to evaporate and be wasted.

Fertilizer

In the US, 67 million pounds of synthetic pesticides are used each year. While these are effective at killing weeds and insects, they are also killing us. It is always surprising to think how people assume spraying poison all around your home would only be bad for the bugs.



Does this make sense?

This sounds pretty bad, doesn't it? Is this need for neatly manicured lawns a form of American vanity? After all, we take great pride in our neat lawns. Images of a row of houses fronted with organized patches of green are often an iconographic reminder of the American Dream. Luckily, we have numerous alternatives.

Alternatives to Mowing

While a hand-powered mower would reduce pollution, one should ask, “Why plant something that needs cutting at all?”

Ecoturf is a term used to describe a variety of turf grasses selected to reduce these typical needs of mowing, watering and fertilizing. A dense mix of English daisy, yarrow, strawberry clover or perennial ryegrass, Ecoturf only grows to a certain height and will not need frequent mowing. The addition of clover in this mix provides valuable soil-fixing nitrogen, helping eliminate the need for fertilizer. Since it is so hardy, Ecoturf only requires regular watering during the hot, summer months.

Ecoturf needs to be seeded, and will take a year or two to fully take root. During this initial period, just water it regularly, as you would a regular lawn.

Be sure to consult a landscape architect to select species appropriate and native to your area.

Alternatives to Watering

Traditional watering and sprinklers spray water at the top of the grass, wasting more than half of the water. A drip irrigation system is under the soil, and applies water slowly to the roots of plants. By using less water and providing the water where needed, drip irrigation will pay for itself in water savings.

Another worthwhile investment is a weather tracking systems, such as the one from HydroPoint. Put simply, these small boxes check the weather and turn off your drip irrigation system if rain is forecast. Priced starting at $600, a weather track device will save enough water to pay for itself within a year or two.

Alternatives to Fertilizer

Xeriscaping refers to landscaping in ways that do not require additional water or fertilizer. The word Xeriscaping, from the Green “xeros” for "dry", encourages the use of native and indigenous plants already suited for their specific climate. Rather than planting a lawn, a rich, native landscape will provide more visual interest and require much less effort to maintain.

Pesticide use can be drastically reduced through the use of Biological Pest Control. By using natural predators, both insects and weeds can be controlled.


Worth Mention

A discussion of lawns would not be complete without mentioning SynLawn. Made of either nylon or polyethylene (depending upon the version), SynLawn is a synthetic lawn. In a wonderful display of hubris, SynLawn is being marketing as a green product.

After all, a fake lawn never needs cutting, watering or fertilizing. While that sounds great, killing your existing lawn by covering it with a plastic carpet cannot be worth all of that.

Priced between $4-6 per square foot, SynLawn is a very convincing fake lawn. The samples sent were surprisingly more realistic in appearance than AstroTurf®, but the notion of placing fake grass on your lawn is about as green as bathing in bottled water.

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Is historic preservation part of green building? I never hear much mention of these subjects together.

Eric: Historic preservation is the practice of preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction of historically significant buildings. Based on the premise that historic buildings have intrinsic architectural value, historic preservation has traditionally not crossed into discussing of green building techniques, but more and more examples of green historic preservation projects are available.

To be eligible for federal funding or certain tax credits, most historic buildings undergoing improvements must meet the Standards for Rehabilitation. These standards require the retention of historic character and materials, but make no mention of sustainable or healthy materials. Of course, this is not within the spirit of the Standards. Reuse of an existing building is somewhat inherently sustainable, especially given the amount of construction waste that typically ends up in our landfills.

As Michael Jackson of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency states, “The historic preservation movement is the only organized design philosophy that promotes building re-use. The “green design” movement has largely ignored the inherent ecological advantages of building re-use. The environmental benefits of building re-use, such as embodied energy, have to be measured against the operating energy for a true life-cycle equation. Historic buildings can be made energy efficient through the appropriate use of new technologies and 'invisible interventions.’

The goals of sustainable design are toward maximizing the quality of the built environment while minimizing or eliminating any negative impact to the natural environment. While new sustainable buildings are appearing all around the United States, existing buildings are already one step ahead of any new sustainable design project.

Both the environmental movement and historic preservation movement were independently born in. the 1960s. While both parties push forth the idea that our future relies on the preservation and protection of our culture, each is going about it in a different way. The joining of the green building and historic preservation movements is long overdue.

While older, historic buildings tend to be less energy efficient, relatively simple measures such as replacing windows, adding insulation and upgrading appliances will solves most of these energy issues. The energy saved in this building reuse far outweighs the need for these extra efforts. Existing buildings not only embody high amounts of energy that would be wasted during demolition and reconstruction, historic buildings often contain common sustainable practices such as abundant natural light, use of local materials, and proximity to public transportation.

The LEED Rating System


More Information

 Sustainable Design and Historic Preservation

A Natural Connection: Sustainable Design and Historic Preservation

Changing Mindsets: Sustainable Design in Historic Preservation

Sustainable Re-Design: The Holistic Approach to Historic Preservation

Whole Building Design Guide: Sustainable Historic Preservation

PreserveNet: Sustainable Design

Seminar: National Preservation Institute: Green Strategies for Historic Buildings

National Trust for Historic Preservation: Economics, Sustainability and
Historic Preservation

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Eric Corey Freed is principal of organicARCHITECT and teaches Sustainable Design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and University of California Berkeley. He is on the boards of Architects, Designers & Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR), Green Home Guide and West Coast Green. This article has been excerpted from his upcoming book, The Inevitable Architect: A Phase by Phase Guide to Green Building.