Americans use a combined 170 million pounds of fertilizers and pesticides in their yards each year.
However, evolving local policies and issues with water supplies are reshaping consumer interests as “green industries” like landscaping actually go green with electric lawn care equipment and eco-friendly methods.
To mark Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week (July 26 to Aug. 1), LawnStarter looked into the most recent data related to Organic Lawn Care and The Hidden Costs of Lawn Chemicals.
Key Stats:
Read through more stats, consumer trends, and expert insights in the full story here: https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/organic-lawn-fertilizer-pest-control/
Other helpful links:
“One big misconception about organic lawn care is that it means ‘no chemicals,’ but really, it just means avoiding synthetic ones where possible,” says Heather Kirk-Ballard, an assistant professor and extension specialist at the University of Georgia.
“Organic practices, such as increasing soil organic matter, reduce chemical runoff into waterways and promote biodiversity compared to synthetic, high-chemical lawns.”
Please email [email protected] if you have questions about our report on organic lawn care or would like to interview one of our editors.
Thanks,
Patricia Davis
Communications Manager
However, evolving local policies and issues with water supplies are reshaping consumer interests as “green industries” like landscaping actually go green with electric lawn care equipment and eco-friendly methods.
To mark Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week (July 26 to Aug. 1), LawnStarter looked into the most recent data related to Organic Lawn Care and The Hidden Costs of Lawn Chemicals.
Key Stats:
- 10X more chemical pesticides are used by homeowners per acre than farmers use on crops, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
- Agricultural research suggests that only 30-50% of synthetic nitrogen is actually absorbed by the plants, with the remaining 50-70% lost to the environment. Wind, rain, and lawn irrigation spread these chemical residues, reducing soil quality and impacting local waterways.
- A study provided early evidence that lawn fertilizer bans help improve water quality, finding that phosphorus fertilizer restrictions in Ann Arbor, Michigan, reduced phosphorus levels by an average of 28% in the nearby Huron River.
- Interest in organic lawn care is highest in the District of Columbia, followed by Vermont, Wyoming, and Hawaii, based on local Google searches. D.C. residents are about 4X more interested in this topic than Arizona residents, who demonstrate the lowest interest in organic lawn care.
Read through more stats, consumer trends, and expert insights in the full story here: https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/organic-lawn-fertilizer-pest-control/
Other helpful links:
- Their Impacts: What Lawn Chemicals Leave Behind
- Organic Turf Management: Demand, Access, and Cost
- Ask the Experts
- Shifting Toward Greener Pastures: Options for Homeowners
“One big misconception about organic lawn care is that it means ‘no chemicals,’ but really, it just means avoiding synthetic ones where possible,” says Heather Kirk-Ballard, an assistant professor and extension specialist at the University of Georgia.
“Organic practices, such as increasing soil organic matter, reduce chemical runoff into waterways and promote biodiversity compared to synthetic, high-chemical lawns.”
Please email [email protected] if you have questions about our report on organic lawn care or would like to interview one of our editors.
Thanks,
Patricia Davis
Communications Manager
