Benefits to the Environment Did you know just how important a good, healthy lawn is to the environment and your health? Here are some facts you may find interesting. A turf area 50-feet by feet releases enough oxygen to meet the needs of a family of four. Turfgrasses help purify water entering underground aquifers by acting as a filter to capture and breakdown many types of pollutants. Turfgrasses trap much of an estimated 12 million tons of dust and dirt released annually into the U.S. atmosphere. With up to 90% of the weight of a grass plant in its roots, it makes a very efficient erosion prevention device. Healthy, dense lawns absorb rainfall six times more effectively than a wheat field and four times better than a hay field. Front lawns of just eight average houses have the cooling effect of about 70 tons of air conditioning, while the average homes central air unit has only a 3 to 4 ton capacity. Grass areas quickly affect people's moods by creating feelings of serenity, privacy, thoughtfulness or happiness. Injuries on natural grass are fewer and less severe than those on artificial surfaces. Many of the worlds most popular games are made possible by grass including: golf, soccer, baseball, football, badminton, and croquet, to name a few. Recovery rates among hospitalized patients with landscaped views are often quicker than those with patients having non-landscaped views. Grass is a visually pleasing sound barrier that helps reduce noise pollution. Lawns can reduce the temperature by as much as 15 degrees over asphalt during hot summer months. A well mantained lawn and landscape can add 6 to 8 percent to a property's value. Thick grass prevents soil erosion, filters contaminants from rainwater, and absorbs many types of airborne pollutants, like dust and soot. Grass is also highly efficient at converting carbon dioxide to oxygen, a process that helps clean the air. A key enviromental benefit of a healthy lawn is improved water quality. Lawns help keep our lakes and streams clean by allowing rainwater to filter into the soil rather than running into storm sewers, sometimes washing away valuable soil. Healthy, dense lawns absorb rainfall, preventing runoff and erosion. Studies at several nationally recognized universities have documented that well managed turf has the greatest capacity for absorbing and holding water than any other ground cover. The result is less runoff, and better water quality.