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GREENSCAPINGYour Lawn and Garden

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merican homeowners spend hundreds of hours a yearmowing, clipping, raking, and landscaping to keep ouryards healthy and our property attractive. Our landscaping

practices produce huge amounts of waste. So much in fact, thatyard waste is second only to paper in the municipal solid wastestream. By following a few simple waste reduction practices,you can not only improve your lawn and garden, but alsothe environment.

To save space in landfills, prevent waste, and reduce gasesassociated with climate change, many local governments have

banned yard waste from their waste disposal programs. Yardwaste also is a major expense for municipal waste programs,and one for which we individually pay. In addition, mostwasteeven organic wastecan take years to decompose in alandfill. In fact, researchers have unearthed whole vegetablesand readable newspapers that have been buried in landfillsfor decades. Landfills can produce methane gas, which is amajor contributor to climate change, and incinerated yardwaste produces carbon dioxide, another gas associated withclimate change.

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mulching, and composting.

You can reduce the environmentalimpacts of landscaping your lawnand property by grasscycling,

Properly managing your yard waste

not only enhances your environ-ment and but also saves you money.

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Give an Inch, Save a YardGrasscycling is a simple method for recycling your yard waste. If you

mow your lawn so that grass is never more than 2 to 3 inches tall, leavethe grass clippings where they fall and allow them to decompose. Tofoster healthy grass, do not cut more than one-third of the blade, andno more than one-inch total. The clippings return nutrients to youryard, and you do not have to spend time and money bagging or haul-ing them away. One study showed that, by not bagging clippings,mowing took about 38 percent less time.

Contrary to popular belief, grass clippings do not cause thatch. Thatch

is actually a layer of organic material made up of grass roots, not mowngrass blades. Grass roots contain lignin, a substance that decomposesvery slowly and causes thatch. Grass clippings are about 90 percent

water, so they decompose very quickly.

Mulching is another way to reuse so-called yard waste. Make mulchfrom chipped or shredded wood waste or dried leaves. Mulching

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or others for their lawn and

Mother Nature

Many people are now practic-ing xeriscaping, a techniquethat involves designing lawnsand gardens to consider thenatural landscape of a region.Using native plants and land-scape designs that optimize

local conditions can reducewater use and soil erosion,lower maintenance costs, and

involves spreading thin layers ofdry organic waste around thebase of plants to prevent weedgrowth, retain water, regulatesoil temperature, and addnutrients back to the soil. Grassclippings also make excellentmulch. If you have healthyplants that you merely wantto replace, donate them tocommunity gardens, schools,

garden use.

Take Your Cue from

preserve natural resources.

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Create Some Space and Compost Your WasteMany lawn and landscaping products can be reused or recycled to pre-

vent waste. Composting is one recycling method that turns organicyard waste into a natural soil additive rich in nutrients. Finished com-post can improve soil texture, increase the soil's ability to absorb air and

water, suppress weed growth, and decrease erosion. In addition, makingand using your own compost can save you money and reduce pollutionby reducing the need for you to buy and use commercial soil additives.

You can create a compost pile in your backyard or indoors, dependingon your available space. To compost in your backyard, choose a level,

Seasonal Composting

more or unusual types of organicwaste. In most cases, this wastecan also be composted or other-

wise recycled.

holiday gatherings can be com-

left over from Halloween. In addi-tion, many communities collectpine trees and garlands used forholiday decoration and recyclethem. Chips from recycled treescan be composted or used forcoastal erosion prevention, creat-ing fish habitats, and landscaping.

Certain seasonal activities suchas holidays and parties create

Many food scraps from parties or

posted, as can carved pumpkins

What Can You Compost?

No national regulations exist that definewhat you can and cant compost, but somelocal governments have certain health-relat-ed restrictions, such as prohibiting openpiles containing food waste or completelybanning food waste known to attract pestsand disease-related organisms. Because youneed the right mix of ingredients to

encourage decomposition, you will achieve

the healthiest compost if you follow theseguidelines:

Throw in

Grass clippings and leaves Straw/hay Manure Wood chips and sawdust

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3-by-5-foot square spot in an area of your yard near a water source, butaway from direct sunlight and child play areas. Clear the spot of sodand grass and set up a compost bin. You can buy a bin from a commer-

cial retailer or build your own out of wood scraps, chicken wire, orconcrete blocks. Remember to leave enough space in your bin for air tocirculate, and make sure one side is removable for easy tending.

You will need to turn your compost pile every few weeks with a pitch-fork to distribute air and moisture. Make sure you also sprinkle wateron your pile in dry weather. In most climates, you will have finishedcompost in 3 to 6 months, when the waste becomes a dark, crumblymaterial that is uniform in texture. You can then spread your compost

in garden beds, under shrubs, or use it as potting soil.If you do not have space for an outdoorcompost pile, you can compost materi-als indoors using a special type of bin,

which you can buy or make yourself. Tomake your own indoor bin, drill 1/2-inch diameter holes in the bottom andsides of a plastic garbage can. Place abrick in the bottom of a larger garbage

can, surround the brick with a layer ofwood chips or soil, and place the smallercan inside on top of the brick. Wrapinsulation around the outer can to keepthe compost warm and cover the cans

with a lid. Your compost should beready in 2 to 5 weeks. Remember totend your pile and keep track of whatyou throw in. A properly managed com-

post bin will not attract pests or rodentsand will not smell bad.

Other Ideas

mulch at home, you can still collect yardwaste and donate it to a communitycomposting program or other local busi-

enhance crops; landscapers buy it toimprove soil conditions and for decora-tive purposes; nurseries buy it as pottingsoil; and public agencies buy it to

highway medians and parks. Contactyour local solid waste authority to findout who collects compostable materialsin your area. Some communities even

have curbside collectionif yours

If you cant compost, grasscycle, or

ness. Farmers often buy compost to

landscape public property such as

doesnt, maybe you can help get aprogram started.

Fruit and vegetable scraps

Tea bags Coffee grounds and filters Eggshells Vacuum cleaner lint Hair clippings Shredded newspaper Fireplace ashes Wool and cotton rags

Keep out

Diseased plants Pernicious weeds Human and pet waste Chemically treated wood products Barbeque grill ash Meat and fish scraps and bones Oils and other fatty food products Milk products

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Change Landscaping to Greenscaping,Practice the 4-RsBy reducing, reusing, recycling, and rebuying when you landscape, youcan save money and reduce waste.

Reducing: Using manual garden tools instead of gas- or electric-pow-ered ones can reduce fuel waste and protect air quality. Push mowersand mulchers, rakes, hoes, and shovels might require more work, buttheir use prevents waste, reduces air and noise pollution, and helps youget exercise and active time outdoors. When you do use large lawn and

garden equipment such as driving mowers or chainsaws, you can reducewaste (and save money) by borrowing or renting this equipment.Organize a neighborhood equipment sharing plan, or rent these itemsfrom a local hardware store or landscaping company.

Reduce the amount of harmful pesticides you useall pesticides aretoxic to some degree. Spot treat areas whenever possible. In most cases,treating your entire yard is not necessary, especially when a problem isconfined to specific areas. Treating more than necessary is wasteful andcan be environmentally damaging. When using commercial chemical

treatments, make sure to use them safely, and to read and follow themanufacturer's label instructions for use and disposal.

Reusing: Use rain barrels to collect rain water from your roof. Wateryour plants and garden with it and reduce your water bill, too. Suchsimple changes create huge ripples effect that improve and safeguardour environment.

Recycling: Be sure to recycle as many products as you can. Especiallyremember to recycle the used oil and tires from

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your landscaping vehicles and equipment.

Rebuying: Rebuying means rethinking yourpurchasing habits. Look for products that stillmeet your needs, but are better for the environ-

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ment. Many gardening products and tools are now made from recycledmaterials. Buying recycled-content products means manufacturers haveto extract and transport fewer virgin materials and expend less energy

during production. Buying recycled items also boosts the market forthese products, encouraging more communities to recycle and morecompanies to sell recycled-content items.

Some lawn and garden products made with recycled materials includegarden and soaker hoses made from recycled tires, garden edging madefrom recycled rubber, paths and play areas lined with wood chips, andstepping stones made from recycled glass. If you are building a newdeck, bird house, flower bed, play equipment, or some other landscap-

ing project, consider using plastic lumber made from recycled productssuch as milk jugs and plastic bags, or fromrecycled plastics mixed with sawdust, fiber-glass, or resins. Plastic lumber is verydurable and low-maintenance, is water- andinsect-resistant, will not splinter, and willnot absorb bacteria. You can also buy prod-ucts such as planting pots and wateringcans already made from recycled plastic.

Use alternative productsand practices

Fertilizers made from organic materials suchas plant extracts and worm castings areavailable at many garden stores. You canalso use several types of plants andbeneficial insects that act as natural deter-rents to common garden pests. Planting

marigolds alongside other plants protectsyour garden bed from many types ofbeetles, for example, and ladybugs will eatplant-munching aphids.

Web ResourcesGreenscaping

U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste

Ban Backyard Burning

In many areas of the country,people burn their yard waste as away of disposing of it. Burningyard waste is both a safety and ahealth hazard. Burning yard wasteis not only a fire hazard, but italso can create toxic fumes andpotentially toxic ash. The air pollu-tion it causes can aggravate respi-ratory conditions, such as asthma.No national regulations prohibitburning your yard waste, but it isnot a recommended disposalmethod. Compost your yard wasteinstead. If composting is not anoption, dispose of your yard wasteaccording to your local laws andregulations.

www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/green/index.htmwww.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/compost/index.htm

Composting

Cornell Composting, the Cornell Waste Management Institutewww.cfe.cornell.edu/compost/Composting_Homepage.html

Xeriscaping

Green Landscaping, U.S. EPA

www.epa.gov/glnpo/greenacres 6

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