Don't Blame the Grass III

OK, hopefully this will be the last installment of “Don’t Blame the Grass.” The first “Don’t Blame the Grass” was regarding how Bay Area communities may possibly begin restricting lawn sizes and how we can better learn to manage our individual lawns.

“Don’t Blame the Grass II” was regarding a subsequent article I read on Science Daily about a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Irvine titled, “Urban 'Green' Spaces May Contribute to Global Warming.” That study concluded that GHGS (greenhouse gas sinks) were negative polluters meaning care and maintenance of these carbon ‘sinks’ actually created a negative effect.
Well now we come to find out that just a few days after this study was released the study was apparently full of holes and inaccurate information. So much so that UCI released another paper to explain the problems of the first study! This “peer-reviewed” study was never properly verified and yet it was trotted out as an accurate study! Truly amazing!

According to Lawn & Landscape Magazine days after the release of the first study another study titled “Carbon Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Urban Turf” was released by the Toro Company's Center for Advanced Turf Technology (CATT)which sought to correct certain points of misinformation that the first study had based its findings on and thus reported. That information was apparently based on faulty, non-verified calculations. Apparently "CO2 emissions reported for fuel use by turf maintenance equipment was an order of magnitude higher than work done by Toro’s research team" and thus needed correcting.

The article goes on to mention, "With the error corrected, turfgrass is actually found to be a net positive sequester of carbon,” said Dana Lonn, managing director of Toro’s CATT group. “In other words, properly maintained turfgrass actually traps and utilizes carbon thus removing it from the atmosphere. We credit the authors for tackling a complex and comprehensive issue. Consistent with what we have found in working with leading research institutions, this study provides a solid foundation for future work. With further improvements in technology to increase efficiency and reduce fuel consumption, grass can become an even greater asset."

As Gomer Pyle used to say, "SHAZAM!"

And how did this come about so? What was the catalyst for this change in thought regarding carbon sink holes and the true positive effect they offer the environment? Well I suspect it has everything to do with dollars quite frankly. Can I prove it? Nope. Should you care then or should I? Well that depends on what you choose to care about.

My personal feeling is that UCI suddenly remembered who was buttering their bread quite frankly because there were many in the lawn and turf industry up in arms about the first study. What are we being led to think? Can we take any study regarding water and turf management as fact? How many other studies regarding water and turf management and the effect on the environment have been done with faulty information only to be corrected by industry interested in protecting its own interests?

I think this is just another reason why managing your own personal law turf is so vitally important.

Don't blame the grass...II

In a previous blog, “Don’t Blame the Grass”, based on a recent article from the San Jose Mercury News was in response to how some Bay Area communities may possibly begin restricting lawn sizes.

Articles such as these seem to be the norm these days as the environmental effects of lawn care and maintenance, whether a residential space or a large expanse of lawn, continues to be a hot topic.

Just a few days ago I read another article on the Science Daily web site about a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Irvine titled, “Urban 'Green' Spaces May Contribute to Global Warming.” The study attempts to make the point that large lawn turf areas, such as those found in urban parks, actually contribute negative effects towards ‘global greenhouse gases’ [sic] and the study even goes so far as to make the claim that, “..it is impossible for these lawns (large turf areas) to be net greenhouse gas sinks because too much fuel is used to maintain them.”

Now for those who don’t know a ’greenhouse gas sink’ is any large area of vegetation that has the ability to take carbon emissions and return those carbon emissions back into the earth. Previous studies have proven that large turf and vegetation areas actually have a positive effect on the earth and it’s eco-systems because these green areas do in fact have the ability to take carbon emissions and return them to the earth where they came from.

This brings up an interesting question then and that question is, So what's the solution?

The solution is simple and that solution doesn’t have to involve removing vast amounts of low lying greenery and vegetation that, in the long run, has a tremendous benefit not only on the environment but the overall quality of life that is enhanced by using and enjoying those vast open spaces.

That’s one thing that stuck me about the article frankly. It offered reasons why there are these perceived problems but it offered absolutely nothing in the way of solutions.

So what is the bottom line? I'll leave that for you to decide. I’m just a simple landscape designer taking up residence in the vast Mojave Desert. But I can say this and will continue to say this. Learn how to properly and effectively maintain not only the lawn turf that you may have in your landscape but also the other vegetation you may have in your landscape.

This is going to lead to a number of benefits. By properly maintaining your individual lawn space and the surrounding vegetation you will actually lower your water bill. Making sure your sprinkler system is properly timed and set at proper intervals in critical in providing effective irrigation to the landscape.

Pay close attention to the weather reports for your area and adjust or even shut off the irrigation system in relation to the anticipated weather. This simple practice can lead to preventing water waste so sprinklers don’t run on a rainy day. Fertilize your lawn with organic fertilizers not chemical based fertilizers. Have your lawn professionally aerated twice a year (spring/fall). This will promote and maintain healthy root growth.

Lastly, be prepared to share these suggestions with your friends and neighbors because, in the long run, everyone benefits from a well maintained lawn.