Bet you didn't know!
(most homeowners don't.)
Lawn Care and Environmental Impact
The story begins with homeowners who want a nice, plush lawn for aesthetics and recreation.So far, so good. The average lawn in the USA is 10,871 s.f., the equivalent of 104’ x 104’. A typical chemical (nitrogen) fertilizer application for a lawn of this size is about 10 lbs. Since a lawn is usually treated 3 times a year, that’s 30 lbs. of nitrogen per year.
It’s shocking! When you have your lawn treated with nitrogen, an astounding 80% of the nitrogen will NOT end up absorbed! That’s a huge waste of fertilizer and money… and a significant negative impact on the environment. Here’s why:
If too much nitrogen is applied (which is common), a nitrogen crust can develop on the lawn, often appearing as a brown or yellowing layer. This can lead to fertilizer burn, damaging the lawn and inhibiting future applications. The nitrogen also carries a lot of salt, which absorbs moisture that should be going to the lawn.
This “innocent” habit of applying nitrogen results in runoffs that create nasty HABs that damage and destroy the habitat.On an annual basis, about 24 lbs. out of the 30 lbs. of nitrogen applied on a typical lawn runs off into streams, ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans year after year. Now multiply this family’s home with hundreds or thousands of other homes in a community, and the result is toxic Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) in freshwater that consume oxygen, block sunlight, diminish water quality and fish life, and create DEAD ZONES.
