LIVING LANDSCAPES MATTER

Fact Book

April 2016

The importance of maintaining living landscapes

opei.org/stewardship/

LIVING LANDSCAPES MATTER

The outdoor power equipment industry is concerned about the loss of living landscapes around U.S. homes and in communities due to recent development in the West. Due to severe drought conditions in the West, many people are being encouraged to rip out their lawns and replace them with hardscapes, rocks, mulch, cacti and plastic grass. Over time, these changes could do more harm than good. In particular, certain organizations and forces are using drought conditions and other climate change to push their agenda of diminishing the value and importance of grass, as well as other parts of our managed landscapes. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) launched the Living Landscapes Matter program in 2015 to help bring awareness to the importance of preserving green space, whether it be yards, parks, community green space or recreational playing fields. As part of our education effort, we have compiled a plethora of facts from sources around the world that support the benefits that living landscapes bring to our communities and our lives including:

• Statistics on water usage and landscaping in California since the water restrictions have been in place

• The benefits of grass and other plants • International lessons learned on how to manage living landscapes, even in a drought

For your reference and use, the enclosed, third-party facts and figures are made available for your research and reporting. Kris Kiser, OPEI president and CEO, is also a well-versed subject matter expert on the benefits of living landscapes and is available for media interviews. For more information, visit: opei.org/stewardship/

OPEI 341 S. Patrick Street Alexandria, VA 22314

703-549-7600 MEDIA CONTACTS: Suzanne E. Henry Four Leaf Public Relations, LLC 434-972-7278 suzanne@fourleafpr.com

Ami Neiberger-Miller Four Leaf Public Relations, LLC (703) 887-4877 ami@fourleafpr.com

Sue Huss Four Leaf Public Relations, LLC (901) 221-8904 suehuss@fourleafpr.com

“RIGHT LAWN, TOUGH LAWN”

Even in a drought, you can have a lawn. You just need to have the right lawn.

• The right grass. Hundreds of varieties of turfgrass exist, and some of them are perfect for drought conditions. For instance, buffalo and Bermuda grasses, when established requires very little water.

• Brown is okay. In drought-challenged areas, we must get out of the mindset that all plants must stay green all the time. Grass will turn brown when it goes into dormancy. Turfgrass is incredibly resilient. It will spring back to green when rain returns.

• Grass cycles. The “lush and plush” lawn is challenging to keep in a severe drought environment. Grass will grow in cycles, “turning on and off,” based on the resources it receives. As water becomes less available, grass will slow down, go dormant and turn brown. But it’s not dead.

• Too much water is bad for grass. Grass gets lazy if you water it too much. You should make grass work hard for its water. If watered too much, grass sends its roots horizontally, which makes it lazy. With just a little water, grass will send its roots deeper, vertically, seeking water. Having to work harder, makes grass do a better job of sequestering carbon and releasing oxygen.

• Mix native plants with adaptive plants and grasses. We no live longer in a native environment. We live in cities and suburbs where we must incorporate plants into an area with a lot of concrete, asphalt, people, and traffic. You need both native plants and drought-resistant adaptive species that can survive in these conditions.

• Evolve the lawn. Incorporate pollinator plants for bees, butterflies, and humming birds. Even in the desert, a host of plants flower.

• Plant to slow and capture water. Water sheets off hard surfaces, asphalt and other hardscapes in cities and suburbs. Grass and plants will slow down and capture this water.

• Save those clippings! Grass clippings contain 80-85 percent water and decompose quickly.i

• Plant grasses that are traffic ready. Buffalo grass and Bermuda grass are drought-tolerant options, but they also will survive foot traffic, children’s play and pets.

• Water wisely. Only water your yard when it is necessary. Install watering solutions that help you use less water, but still permit you to have a living landscape. Install smart controllers on irrigation systems.

• Remember nature starts at your backdoor. The outdoors starts at your backdoor. We want everyone to be a responsible environmental steward. Put the right plant in the right place, and use water wisely.

• Choose the right turf grass: Find your plant hardiness zone on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to determine what types of turf, trees, shrubs and plants will thrive in your location.

• Get educated. According a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals,ii 74% of Americans reported they believe they know how to care for their lawn each season and 68% are confident in their lawn care knowledge.

However, 64% of the respondents falsely believe all grass needs to be fertilized in the spring and 57% falsely believe if a lawn is not green it is not healthy. In addition, nearly one in three respondents admitted they aren’t sure how often a lawn should be watered If you choose to maintain your lawn yourself, do the research or ask a professional to ensure you’re taking the right approach.

CALIFORNIA DROUGHT Water restrictions and policies to remove landscaping were imposed in California, but

their effectiveness is now being questioned.

• Due to the severe drought in California, mandatory water restrictions were imposed in June 2015. Since the restrictions have been in place, it has been determined that landscape water use accounts for only 9% of the total statewide water use.iii

• Lawns are estimated to use 40% to 60% of that 9%, or just 3.5% to 5% of total statewide water use in California.iv

• The recent water restrictions have caused a great debate as to whether lawns and landscapes should be removed or left to die in order to conserve water. According to the University of California Cooperative Extension Service, cost/benefit analyses have shown that landscaped plants are worth the investment in resources, especially water. In severe drought conditions. They found that selecting drought resistant plants, coupled with proper management and irrigation, allows lawns and landscapes to flourish while still saving water.v

• According to a recent survey commissioned by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, residents feel that they have cut back on water use as much as they can after nine months of conserving. Statewide water conservation lagged in late 2015 when Californians failed to meet the 25% mandate in October, November and December.vi

• According to UC Riverside professor David Hodel, the recent removal of lawns as a result of the drought may have aggravated Los Angeles’s current status as having the worst urban heat island effect in California.

• According to USC researcher Manual Pastor, extreme heat will have a negative effect on poor communities as low-income Angelenos not only tend to live in areas that lack green space, they are less likely to have air conditioning or access to transportation go somewhere cooler.vii

• According to a Houzz Landscaping & Garden Trends Study, nearly half of people surveyed are reducing or removing their lawns in order to deal with water shortages. Those doing so are located in the West and replacing their lawns with hardscape, garden beds, ground cover, mulch and more. Fewer people are installing synthetic lawns than in the previous survey year too, down from 8% to 6%.viii

HEAT ISSUES Turfgrass dissipates the heat island effect in urban areas.

• According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on a hot, sunny summer

day, roof and pavement surface temperatures can be 50–90°F hotter than the air.ix • Called the “heat island effect,” air temperatures in cities, even after sunset, can be

as much as 22°F warmer than air in neighboring regions.x • Turfgrasses dissipate radiant heat through a process called evapotranspiration.

Planting vegetation and grass, or installing green roofs, are among the strategies the EPA recommends to mitigate the heat island effect.xi

• There is a direct relationship between surface temperature and the cooling effect provided by turfgrass. In one research study of surface temperatures, from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, natural turf had the lowest average temperature of 78˚. Concrete and bare soil had average temperatures in the mid-90’s. Asphalt had an average temperature of 98˚ and artificial turf (also known as plastic grass) came in at a scorching 117˚!xii

• Experts note that the temperature benefit linked to turfgrass is especially important in California, the second-most urbanized state in the U.S., where temperatures have been increasing since 1940.xiii

• Lawns can be 31 degrees cooler than asphalt and 20 degrees cooler than bare soil.xiv • Real grass sports fields can be significantly cooler than artificial turf. A research study

showed surface temperatures could be as much as 95 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit higher on synthetic turf than natural turfgrass when exposed to sunlight.xv

• Eight average-sized front lawns can provide the cooling equivalent to air-conditioning for 18 homes.xvi

• Without grass and other greenery to reduce the heat island effect, communities will be hotter. Expect home cooling bills to rise when green space is reduced.

AIR QUALITY ISSUES Turfgrass improves air quality.

• Without the oxygen-producing boost that plants such as grass, trees and shrubs offer,

California’s struggling air quality levels will plummet greater than before. • California already has the worst air quality in the nation.xvii • Research has shown that turfgrasses remove “atmospheric pollutants such as carbon

dioxide, ozone, hydrogen fluoride, and perosyzacetyle nitrate from the air.”xviii • Grass also plays a vital role in capturing dust, smoke particlesxix and other pollutants

that harm peoplexx. • Without grass, pollutants, dust and smoke particles will remain in the air we breathe,

opening the door for more “code red” days.

OXYGEN PRODUCTION

Our lawns and trees are incredible oxygen making machines.

• A 25 square foot area will supply enough oxygen to support one person for a day. • A turf area 50' x 50' will produce enough oxygen to meet the daily needs of a family of

four.xxi • A 100-ft tree, 18" diameter at its base, produces 6,000 pounds of oxygen.xxii • In Los Angeles, trees remove nearly 2,000 tons of air pollution each year.xxiii • Without the oxygen boosting power of grass, communities will face more air quality

issues.

CARBON SEQUESTRATION Turfgrass is the biggest carbon sink in the country.

• Carbon sinks absorb the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Plants

absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to use in photosynthesis. Some of this carbon is transferred to soil as plants die and decompose.xxiv

• The dense canopy and fibrous root system in a lawn sequesters carbon so well, that it outweighs the carbon used for maintaining the grass by as much as seven-fold.xxv

• Grasses remove about 6 tons of carbon dioxide per acre per year from the atmosphere.xxvi

• Lawns sequester more carbon than it takes to maintain them. • Scientists have also found that recycling grass clippings on lawns will sequester even

more carbon.xxvii • A university notes that lawns and sport turfs have a positive effect on the overall

carbon footprint of a landscape. An average-sized home lawn in the United States has the potential to sequester 20.3 to 163.4 kg C/lawn/year.xxviii

• Without grass, carbon sequestration processes won’t occur, and carbon footprints will grow larger.

BIODIVERSITY ISSUES Turfgrass supports biodiversity and wildlife.

• Grass, trees and shrubs and other plant life provide food and habitat for birds and

small mammals. Insects, spiders and worms live among the grass blades and below the surface in the turf.

• Without a living landscape, food sources for birds and small mammals like squirrels, will quickly vanish. Xeriscaping or hardscaping force birds, squirrels and other animals to forage for food elsewhere. If we eliminate turfgrass from urban and suburban life, birds and wildlife will lose habitat.

RUN-OFF ISSUES Turfgrass assists in controlling water runoff and cleans rain water

before it goes into the ground.

• Rain water “sheets off” hard surfaces, like hardscapes, parking lots, drive ways and roads. Instead of going into the ground, rain water becomes fast moving storm water runoff. Hard surfaces are a major cause of poor water quality.

• Grassy areas mitigate storm water runoff. They slow down and absorb runoff, while also cleansing water of impurities and dust.

• The biology of turfgrass makes lawns a nearly ideal medium for the biodegradation of all sorts of environmental contamination.xxix Research has shown that turfgrasses are excellent at filtering excess nutrients and sediment.xxx

• Turfgrass functions as a sponge that traps water and increases groundwater recharge. • Turfgrass areas can be designed with contours to temporarily hold water, (i.e.,

swales) thereby decreasing storm-water runoff. The water-retaining properties of turfgrasses contribute to decreased storm flow via grass waterways and associated flooding, as well as minimize the need for costly mechanical-concrete, water-control structures in urban areas.xxxi

• The grass filtration system is so effective that rain water filtered through a healthy lawn is often as much as 10 times less acidic than water running off a hard surface.xxxii

• Microbes in the soil help break down chemicals into harmless materials.xxxiii • Turfgrasses can remediate contaminated soil by cleaning it and grasses are more

effective at cleansing contaminated soil than trees or shrubs.xxxiv • Replacement of turf with other vegetation may not necessarily reduce the phosphorus

in urban water runoff, meaning the replacement vegetation will not provide the cleansing capabilities of grass. xxxv

• Without grass and other plants, more pollutants will enter streams, aquifers and other water sources due to water runoff.

SOIL EROSION ISSUES Turfgrass controls soil erosion.

• Turfgrass controls erosion through its natural, dense and fibrous root system, which

holds soil in place.xxxvi • Tests show that a dense lawn is 6 times more effective than a wheat field and 4 times

better than a hayfield at absorbing rainfall.xxxvii • Sediment losses from sodded areas will be 8 to 15 times less than for tested man-

made erosion control materials and 10 times less than for a straw covered area. • Grass helps control erosion by slowing down water runoff. Water running off a sodded

area will take 28-46 times longer than if the water was on five popular erosion control materials. Grass slows down the water runoff and as a result less soil erodes.xxxviii

• Without grass and other living plants, more soil erodes on the land and into the water.

Erosion muddies the waters and reduces the amount of sunlight that can penetrate the water. The nutrients and chemicals carried with the soil can cause large algae blooms which can steal oxygen from the water and kill fish.xxxix

PLASTIC GRASS ISSUES Plastic grass (artificial turf) does not provide habitat, nor does it support biodiversity.

• Putting plastic propylene sheets in place of a living lawn provides no habitat or

biodiversity for birds, insects and animals. It is, in essence, plastic grass. • In fact, plastic grass destroys urban habitat enhancement and provides no support for

birds and small mammals. • Plastic grass isn’t more environmentally friendly than real grass. Plastic grass is a

petroleum product. • Plastic grass does not last forever and much of it is non-recyclable. Many recycling

service providers will not accept artificial turf. The Association of Synthetic Grass Installers has said that surface fibers can be cut away from the backing and recycled, but the backing itself cannot be recycled.xl

• Plastic grass is hot. A 2002 Brigham Young University study revealed that synthetic-turf surface temperatures were 37 degrees higher than asphalt and 86 degrees hotter than natural turf.xli A 2012 Penn State study found it not uncommon for temperatures to surpass 150 degrees and can reach up to 200 degrees.xlii

• Plastic grass may not "use" water to sustain itself, but it must be washed off periodically with water to remove dust, dirt, and pet waste. Some people also hose it down to cool it off. The runoff of the dirty and unsanitary water winds up entering the sewer systems, or draining directly to the ocean.

• With plastic grass, the ability to absorb and cleanse water runoff is removed. You still have to use water to clean it.

FIRE BREAK Turfgrass is a natural and effective fire break.

• Living grass is the best, natural fire break. Healthy turfgrass can be a significant

deterrent to wild fires, as a green lawn is poor fuel for a fire and can protect property.xliii

• Green grass retards the spread of wildfires because of its low fuel value, and it provides a defendable space around structures where firefighters can work effectively.xliv

NOISE POLLUTION Turfgrass helps control noise pollution.

• Grassy areas absorb noise, which cut down on excessive sound, a growing problem in

urban areas, where hardscape and pavement reverberate sound. • Grassy slopes alongside lowered expressways reduce noise 8-10 decibels.xlv • As the amount of green space drops in urban areas, noise levels will increase.

PLAY SPACE Turfgrass provides a safe place for children and pets to play.

• An outdoor play area provides a safe place for children and pets to play, while

providing an outdoor living area for the entire family to enjoy. • Outdoor play increases fitness levels and builds active, healthy bodies, an important

strategy in helping the one in three American kids who are obese get fit.xlvi • Research shows that children reap numerous health, social and personal benefits from

spending time outside playing.xlvii • Trees and grass, when combined together, foster activities such as recreation, which

is important for child development.xlviii • Children will be indoors if given no useable place to play outside. (So will your dog.)

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE & HEALTH Turfgrass is a key part of the outdoor lifestyle that Americans enjoy.

• Exposure to natural settings may be widely effective in reducing ADHD symptoms.xlix • Children’s stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces.l • Nature makes you nicer, enhancing social interactions, value for community, and

close relationships.li • Children gain attention and working memory benefits when they are exposed to

greenery.lii • Living landscapes make kids smarter. Researchers found that Barcelona school

children who had more exposure to the outdoors performed better on cognitive testing. The effect was greatest when both home and school environments provided “green” time.liii

• Living landscapes help you heal. Hospital patients exposed to window views of nature healed on average a full day faster than those with a view of a brick wall.liv

• Adults also benefit from green space. A systematic research review concluded that “the balance of evidence indicates conclusively that knowing and experiencing nature makes us generally happier, healthier people.”lv

• Living near living landscapes can improve your mental health. Researchers in England

found that people moving to greener areas experienced an immediate improvement in mental health that was sustained for at least 3 years after they moved. The study also showed that people relocating to a more built up area suffered a drop in mental health.lvi

• Living near green spaces can make you healthier too. People who live within a half mile of green space were found to have a lower incidence of 15 diseases by Dutch researchers —including depression, anxiety, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and migraines. A 2015 study found that people living on streets with more trees had a boost in heart and metabolic health.lvii

• Being around plants helps people concentrate better in the home and workplace. Studies show that tasks performed while under the calming influence of nature are performed better and with greater accuracy, yielding a higher quality result. Spending time in gardens can improve memory performance and attention span by 20 percent.lviii

• People who gardened for at least 30 minutes a week had lower body mass indexes (BMIs)—a measure of body fat—as well as higher levels of self-esteem and better moods overall. They also reported lower levels of tension and stress.lix

• Soil is the new Prozac? Mycobacterium vaccae in soil mirrors the effect on neurons that drugs like Prozac provide. The bacterium stimulates serotonin production, which makes you relaxed and happier.lx

• A research study found that walking or running in green spaces, instead of synthetic environments, led to decreased anger, fatigue and feelings of depression, while increasing attention levels.lxi

• Without grass, the family football game on the front lawn after the big dinner will be a thing of the past. Your outdoor dining area, barbecue, fire pit and other outdoor living areas will be hotter and less enjoyable.

•

EFFECTS OF DROUGHT ON TREES In times of drought, trees need water too.

• Limiting outdoor water use might be inadvertently creating a new casualty of the

drought: trees. Experts say many trees in Southern California are showing signs of drought stress or are outright dying due to lack of water.lxii

• As people stop watering lawns, many are also not watering trees, leading them to dry out and become vulnerable to disease and pests. Losing mature trees not only hurts the urban ecosystem, it also can cause local temperatures to rise and home values to drop.lxiii

• Letting landscapes go dry greatly impacts trees leading to dropping branches. Dying trees can cause significant property damage and possible injury to people or death.lxiv

• Tree roots go where the water is, so those planted in lawns tend to develop a system close to the surface. If your tree has become dependent on years of competing with grass for sprinkler water and then you stop watering the lawn because of drought, you’ll likely need to drip irrigate.lxv

INTERNATIONAL LESSONS LEARNED Drought is nothing new, but other cities and countries have persevered by implementing

creative alternative solutions.

• Lessons learned: China is now paying the price for removing turfgrass and ornamental trees decades ago as a result of Communist regime eliminating symbols of capitalism in large cities. Landscaped public areas were transformed into well-swept, bare-dirt ground. Today, the Chinese government has enlisted experts to develop and implement an active program of revegetating barren open spaces with turfgrasses. The removal of turfgrasses and trees resulted in major atmospheric pollution in the form of dust storms. More importantly, human diseases increased as a result of disease-causing organisms being carried in dust storms.lxvi

• Lessons learned: Cities like Port Elizabeth in South Africa have been impacted by land degradation and desertification for years. The city has doubled in size since 1997, while increasing water supplies to under-served surrounding areas. These circumstances combined with climate change have resulted in severe loss of top soil impacting farms across the region. As a result, Santam, South Africa’s largest agricultural insurer and other organizations are actively trying to reduce risk to farmers by funding a program to stop land degradation and restore the degraded water catchment systems. So far, 3.7 million trees have been planted and new weirs have been built and are already making a difference.lxvii

• Lessons learned: Singapore is celebrating 53 years of “greening Singapore,” which was launched by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1963.lxviii Since then, Singapore has transformed from the “garden city” to a “city in a garden” by conserving biodiversity, enhancing greenery and creating a more livable city. Between 1986 and 2007, the green cover in Singapore grew from 36 percent to 47 percent. Today, half of the city is covered in greenery.lxix Despite drought, flood and water pollution, the city government has invested in research and technology to strategically address water challenges over the past half century and has built a robust diversified water supply known as the “Four National Taps.” This system is made up of 1) local catchment water, 2) imported water, 3) highly-purified reclaimed water known as NEWater, and 4) desalinated water. Singapore has been recognized internationally as a model city for water management and an emerging global hydrohub.lxx

SOURCES

i Source: The Lawn Institute, http://www.thelawninstitute.org/pages/helpful-hints-from-the-lawn-institute/ ii Source: National Association of Landscape Professionals, Harris Poll, March 29, 2016: http://mms.businesswire.com/media/20160328005521/en/516329/5/NLCM_Infographic_FINAL.jpg?download=1 iii Source: University of California Cooperative Extension, ucanr.edu/sites/HodelPalmsTrees/files/215524.pdf iv Source: University of California Cooperative Extension, ucanr.edu/sites/HodelPalmsTrees/files/215524.pdf v Source: University of California Cooperative Extension, ucanr.edu/sites/HodelPalmsTrees/files/215524.pdf

vi Source: The Los Angeles Times, Feb. 10, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-drought-survey-20160210-story.html vii Source: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com/local/cityhall/la-me-climate-health-20160223-story.html viii Source: Houzz Landscaping & Garden Trends Study 2016, http://info.houzz.com/rs/804-JLJ-529/images/2016HouzzLandscapingStudy.pdf ix Source: Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/hiri/impacts/index.htm x Source: Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/hiri/impacts/index.htm xi Source: Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/hiri/resources/pdf/TreesandVegCompendium.pdf xii Source: http://www.agsod.com/pdfs/Trees-Are-Sacred-Grass-Is-Bad-Why.pdf Source cited: Novak, Jim (June 2006) Synthetic Turf: Hot Stuff, Southwest Trees and Turf. xiii Source: University of California, Riverside https://agops.ucr.edu/turf/topics/turfprotects.htm xiv Source: National Association of Landscape Professionals, https://www.loveyourlandscape.com/LYL/LYL/Benefits-of-Landscapes.aspx xv Source: Sports Turf Managers Association, http://www.stma.org/sites/stma/files/STMA_Synthetic_Guide_2nd_Edition.pdf. Original study: Buskirk, E.R., E.R. McLaughlin and J.L. Loomis. 1971. Microclimate over artificial turf. J. Health, Phys. Ed., Rec. 42(9):29-30. xvi Source: Alliance for Water Efficiency, http://www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/Grass_and_Turf_Introduction.aspx xvii Source: American Lung Association, http://www.stateoftheair.org/2015/states/california/ xviii Source: http://www.agsod.com/pdfs/Trees-Are-Sacred-Grass-Is-Bad-Why.pdf Citation: (1999, December) Texas Turfgrass Research. Texas Turfgrass Consolidated Progress Reports. Retrieved April 25, 2005, from http://aggieturf.tamu.edu/aggieturf2/publications/progressreports/progress99.pdf. xix Source: The Lawn Institute, http://www.thelawninstitute.org/pages/environment/benefits-of-lawn/air-quality-and-turfgrass/ xx Source: University of California, Riverside. https://agops.ucr.edu/turf/topics/turfprotects.htm xxi Source: The Lawn Institute, http://www.scienturficsod.com/growing-great-lawns/lawns-and-the-air-that-we-breathe/ xxii Source: Northwest Territories Environment and Natural Resources, http://www.enr.gov.nt.ca/programs xxiii Source: USDA Forest Service, http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/37671 xxiv Source: Live Science http://www.livescience.com/32354-what-is-a-carbon-sink.html xxv Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, http://www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/0223645-evaluation-of-turfgrasses-for-stress-tolerance-in-a-transition-zone-environment.html xxvi Source: http://www.agsod.com/pdfs/Trees-Are-Sacred-Grass-Is-Bad-Why.pdf Citation: Duble, R. L. Impact of Turfgrass. Retrieved April 25, 2005, from http://agro302.tamu.edu/agro302-700+rduble/ppt/intro2.pdf. xxvii Source: NASA. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Lawn/lawn3.php xxviii Source: University of Arkansas, http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/46/5/808.full xxix Source: The Lawn Institute, http://www.thelawninstitute.org/pages/environment/benefits-of-lawn/grass-purifies-water/ xxx Source: U.S. National Arboretum, http://www.usna.usda.gov/Education/MythsFacts.pdf xxxi Source: Dr. Ron Sahu, Think Before You Remove Your Lawn! The Benefits of Turfgrass http://static1.squarespace.com/static/50a39d4ce4b0f822f291399c/t/50b67849e4b0cf86c3e8fc20/1354135625408/Lawn+Benefits+-+Ron+Sahu.pdf xxxii Source: The Lawn Institute, http://www.thelawninstitute.org/pages/environment/benefits-of-lawn/grass-purifies-water/ xxxiii Source: The Lawn Institute: http://www.thelawninstitute.org/pages/environment/benefits-of-lawn/grass-purifies-water/ xxxiv Walton, B.T., E.A. Guturie, and A.M. Hoylmar, 1994, Toxicant Degradation in the Rhizosphere in T. Anderson and JR. Coats, editors, Bioremediation through the Rhizosphere Technology, ACS Ser. 563. American Chemical Society. Washington, D.C., page 11-25; Toal, E. M., C. Yeomans, K. Killham, and A.A. Meharg, 2000, A Review of Rhizosphere Carbon Flow Modeling, Plant Soil, 222: 263-281 xxxv Erickson, J.L., Cisar, G.H. Snyder, and J.C. Molin, Phosphorus and Potassium Leaching under contrasting residential landscape models established on a sandy soil, Crop Science, 45: 546-552, 2005

xxxvi Source: U.S. National Arboretum, http://www.usna.usda.gov/Education/MythsFacts.pdf xxxvii Source: University of Nebraska – Lincoln, http://platte.unl.edu/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=327507&name=DLFE-6375.pdf xxxviii Source: Turfgrass Producers International, http://www.turfgrasssod.org/faq/10/turfgrass-factoids xxxix Source: Kansas Green Yards, http://www.kansasgreenyards.org/p.aspx?tabid=35 xl Source: ASGi Artificial Grass News, 05/08/2008, http://www.asgi.us/123/artificial-turf-recycling-carpet-recovery-effort-care.html xli Source: “Synthetic Surface Heat Studies,” Brigham Young University, 2002. Retrieved from: https://www.westcoastturf.com/getdoc.cfm?id=38 xlii Source: “Synthetic Turf Heat Evaluation: Progress Report,” Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research, 2012. http://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/ssrc/documents/heat-progress-report.pdf xliii Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, http://www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/0223645-evaluation-of-turfgrasses-for-stress-tolerance-in-a-transition-zone-environment.html xliv Source: Dr. Ron Sahu, Think Before You Remove Your Lawn! The Benefits of Turfgrass http://static1.squarespace.com/static/50a39d4ce4b0f822f291399c/t/50b67849e4b0cf86c3e8fc20/1354135625408/Lawn+Benefits+-+Ron+Sahu.pdf xlv Source: The Lawn Institute, http://www.thelawninstitute.org/pages/environment/benefits-of-lawn/environmental-benefits-of-lawns/ xlvi Study: CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Division of Adolescent and School Health. Childhood Obesity. 20 Oct. 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity xlvii Source: National Wildlife Federation, http://www.nwf.org/What-We-Do/Kids-and-Nature/Why-Get-Kids-Outside/Health-Benefits.aspx xlviii Taylor, et al, 1998, Growing Up in the Inner City: Green Spaces as Places to Grow xlix Study: Wells, N.M. (2000). At Home with Nature: Effects of “greenness” on children’s cognitive functioning. Environment and Behavior (32), 6, pp 775-795. http://eab.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/6/775 l Study: Kuo, PhD, Frances E., and Andrea Faber Taylor, PhD. "A Potential Natural Treatment for Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Evidence From a National Study." American Journal of Public Health 94.9. Sept. 2004. li Study: Weinstein, N., Przybylski, A. K., & Ryan, R. M. (2009). “Can nature make us more caring? Effects of immersion in nature on intrinsic aspirations and generosity.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35, 1315-1329. lii Source: The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/06/15/why-green-spaces-are-good-for-your-kids-brain/?postshare=3751434485282465 liii Study: “Green Spaces and Cognitive Development in Primary Schoolchildern” PNAS (May 2015),

liv Research Brief: Kathleen Wolf, PHD.; Elizabeth Housley, M.A. “Feeling Stressed?” pg. 1 Ulrich RS. 1984. View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science 224, 27: 420-1.

lv Source: Annual Reviews, http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev-environ-012312-110838 lvi Source: Science Daily http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140107093323.htm lvii Source: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2016/01/call-to-wild-text lviii Source: Charlie Hall, Ellison Chair in International Floriculture, http://www.nurserymag.com/article/a-beauty-filled-lifestyle.aspx lix Study: Journal of Public Health, A case–control study of the health and well-being benefits of allotment gardening, http://jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/10/18/pubmed.fdv146.abstract?sid=848f569d-8773-4a9a-a9d9-39f2e1813849 lx Study: The Sage Colleges, June 1 ,2010 “Sage Researchers Find Bacterium Enhances Learning,” lxi Source: BMC Public Health, http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/456 lxii Article: Southern California Public Radio, KPCC, “Urban trees dying in drought. What you need to know,” http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/06/12/52345/urban-trees-dying-in-drought-what-you-need-to-know/ lxiii Article: Southern California Public Radio, KPCC, “Urban trees dying in drought. What you need to know,” http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/06/12/52345/urban-trees-dying-in-drought-what-you-need-to-know/

lxiv Source: University of California Cooperative Extension, ucanr.edu/sites/HodelPalmsTrees/files/215524.pdf lxv Article: Modesto Bee, “Trees shouldn’t suffer because lawns do,” http://www.modbee.com/news/article28783993.html lxvi Source: International Turf Producers Foundation, http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CBwQFjAAahUKEwjq_Zm13pXJAhUC4CYKHTk8BFY&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.realgreenlawns.com%2Faustin_tx_texas%2FAustin_Lawn_Care_Guide%2FWater_Right_Book.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEBTtc_obSYZdAEYc0yKC0k-4pu2g&sig2=cbhOFlnib1IlW_hWAEYzjw&bvm=bv.107467506,d.eWE lxvii Source: The Guardian, Dec. 23, 2015: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/dec/23/insurance-company-turns-planting-trees-south-africa-combat-drought-risk lxviii Source: National Parks Board Singapore, https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/city/subws-2014-01/other/subws-2014-01-presentation-singapore-en.pdf lxix Source: Urban Development Authority, Singapore, https://www.ura.gov.sg/skyline/skyline12/skyline12-03/special/URA_Designing%20our%20City%20Supplement_July12.pdf lxx Source: PUB, Singapore’s water agency, http://www.pub.gov.sg/water/Pages/singaporewaterstory.aspx