According to various studies, although it is vegetation, grass has a low environmental performance. Would you be willing to drop your green carpet for a different product?
A study conducted by the University of Quebec in Ottawa shows that lawns are poor players in the fight against climate change compared to other low plants, especially because they have little effect on heat islands. The data confirmed that the ground temperature near a grass surface was, on average, 2 degrees Celsius higher than that of unmaintained vegetation (such as fields).
A Heavy Consumer of Drinking Water
In addition, this plant requires lots of water to be healthy; about 4 liters per cubic meter, to be more precise. If the summers are not rainy, drinking water is used on lawns. Using simple calculation, you will realize that watering this plant that you enjoy so much has a negative impact on the environment.
The Disappearance of Certain Insects
In areas where grass is abundant, such as in the suburbs, there is a low concentration of invertebrate insects, which is a concern for environmentalists. This is caused by lawn mowing. Many insects do not survive this type of “aggression.” Many of them are pollinators that are valuable to our ecosystem because they help grow fruits and vegetables.
The Solution for Your Lawn
Don’t want to part with your beautiful green lawn? Start by using water from a rainwater recovery system to irrigate. Another idea is to pump water from a ditch instead of using drinking water. To help with insects, space out cutting days to allow them to live longer or provide shelters such as flowerpots or large hedges.
What to Use as Grass Replacement
It is recommended to swap grass for other types of low plants (plant covers) such as field flowers or dwarf clover to help with the environment. They require little maintenance and less chemicals and cutting. However, they do not produce the neat “green carpet” effect that many are looking for. Can’t bring yourself to part with your lawn? It is possible to improve the overall energy performance of a residential property by adding grasses to its development. This type of greenery allows for biodiversity and becomes a shelter for precious insects.
Having grass as our lawn is cultural and customary in Quebec. Although many homeowners find it time-consuming to maintain, they do not want to trade it for another type of plant, which is quite understandable! In fact, more and more researchers are looking for ways to improve grass’ ecological performance.
Hopefully, we will soon have access to a type of lawn that is just as pretty, easy to maintain and more eco-friendly.
