Make Your Lawn Earth-Friendly
How we go about lawn care can have a big impact on the environment. With a few simple steps, you can make your lawn earth-friendly — and save time and money, too.
Use native plants • Decrease
the mowing area by planting native flowerbeds and shrubs. Native plants require
little or no maintenance, and less water, fertilizer and pesticide than grass.- Tune up your lawn mower • Routine lawn maintenance contributes significantly to air pollution in Greater Kansas City.
- Compost yard waste • Composting reduces strain on our landfills, water pollution, and provides a nourishing additive for your garden.
- Use lawn chemicals sparingly • When lawn chemicals are applied improperly, they run off into streams, harming fish and other animals and contaminating our drinking water.
- Test your soil • Have your soil tested before using fertilizers to prevent over application or using chemicals your lawn may not need.
- Dispose of chemicals properly • The health and safety of people and animals, as well as the health of our communities and the environment is endangered when household hazardous waste products -- including many lawn chemicals -- are discarded in household garbage, sinks or washed down storm drains.
- Pick up after your pet • If not disposed of properly, thousands of pounds of untreated pet waste flows into streams and lakes every time it rains posing a danger to human health and aquatic life.