Climate Change & its Effect on the Landscaping Industry

What is climate change?

Weather is something that can be unpredictable, fickle, and hard to understand. As time goes on, there is one issue that we need to be concerned with more than the weekly weather report: Climate Change. Climate change is shifting weather patterns, causing an imbalance that can take millions of years to reverse. With the way technology and gas-powered machines have advanced over the last century, we’re accelerating Earth’s degradation at an alarming rate, and it’s up to us to take preventative steps for a better future.

How is the Landscaping industry Effecting climate change?

With over 40 million acres of lawn-covered land in America alone, lawns help absorb carbon dioxide that is present in the environment, but the machines that are used to maintain them can cancel out these positive effects. Luckily, more than most other major sources of pollution, the landscaping industry has diverse replacement options that will continue to improve over time. As more manufacturers recognize these impacts, they have employed strategies, established environmentally focused goals, and created more powerful and efficient technology to minimize their footprint.

How is climate change Effecting the landscaping industry?

As weather patterns continue to change, extreme heat and rainfall caused by climate change can pose a threat to your day-to-day to-do list. When the summer heats up, one thing you need to look out for is heat tracking: the unattractive result of repetitive movements from mowers or other lawn equipment when the turf is dry and in dire need of nutrients. On the other hand, abundant rainfall can cause weeds like crabgrass and turfgrass diseases, resulting in fungi becoming an issue. These problems, that are out of your control, can then lead to a negative reputation for your business.

What can be done to minimize/fix climate change?

With over 1 million people in the landscaping industry that represent more than 600,000 businesses and services, there is an indescribable amount of change that is possible:

• Battery-Powered Equipment – As time and technology have advanced, manufacturers have created an abundance of professional-grade battery-powered tools at an affordable price. With electric equipment, you benefit from a lot less maintenance, easier storage, zero fuel cost, fewer health risks, and less contribution to pollution.

• Reduce Frequency or Timing – This doesn’t mean you have to stop visiting clients weekly: You can offer weekly services to treat lawns without mowing or heavily using gas-powered equipment, and schedule bi-weekly mowing services to cut down on emissions & fuel costs. Plus, longer grass improves a lawn’s health because the soil can retain additional moisture.

• Sustainable Landscaping – If you put in the time to research or talk to a Russo Turf Care Specialist, you’ll find that there are many effective organic fertilizers & lawn care products available. Composting is another way to Improve soil and help enrich grass by providing natural benefactors that lawns love. Another option is to let grass clippings decompose on lawns to reintroduce nutrients back into the soil while making sure these scraps don’t go to landfills where they release methane after breaking down.

• Natural Landscapes – By incorporating locally sourced, native plants into a landscape, you can help local wildlife sustain a habitat that thrives. Non-native plants can erode soil because they’re not meant to be there, but native plants promote robust soil which leads to stronger, longer-living plants as well as the need for less irrigation. Additionally, natural landscaping aids in giving bees plants to pollinate so they can carry on their duties of promoting healthy greenery & crops to fulfill their role in the ecosystem.

• Helpful Additions to a Landscape - Incorporating mulch into landscape design helps to improve the look, but also limits weeds and maintains the soil’s moisture and temperature, ultimately reducing the amount of water needed to properly upkeep a lawn. Hardscaping can boost a property’s value, provides more privacy, and reduces maintenance for your crew, but it also helps combat water waste since the yard requires less moisture.

• Forward-Thinking Brands – Mean Green changed the game by being the first to offer pros a powerful battery-only lineup! A trusted brand like Toro has recently dedicated countless hours to helping professionals make the switch to battery-operated equipment with confidence. Fuel such as Aspen is engineered to radiate less harmful emissions than competitors, while making landscaper’s health a top priority. The list of difference-makers creating innovative & eco-friendly technology continues to grow, and it's up to you to start choosing them.

Through all these options, the landscaping industry has a prime opportunity to make an impact on this world, and it’s people like you who can get a head start and make a positive difference. You can even implement your eco-friendly practices as an advertising strategy to appeal to more customers. The bottom line is there are options and we all must work together to find the right balance of business efficiency and environmental friendliness to power ourselves into a better, greener future.