Wed August 22, 2012 Earth Calendar for August 22nd and August
23rd Every summer, we drench our lawns with water from the
garden hose! That makes grass – not corn – America’s largest
irrigated crop. Our nation’s lawns now cover an area larger than
New York State and each year, we use about 2.4 million metric
tons of fertilizer just to maintain them. When there is too much
fertilizer on our lawns, essential nutrients are easily washed
away by sprinklers and rainstorms. When these nutrients enter
storm drains and water bodies, they often become one of the most
harmful sources of water pollution in the United States.
Luckily, we can address this problem simply by watering lawns in
different way to save money, conserve water and protect water
quality. Use a Soaker Hose – these hoses are lined with
thousands of tiny holes, allowing them to leach water into the
soil at a slower rate than a normal hose or sprinkler. Or try a
rain barrel – capture and save some of that free rainwater and
use to water your lawn or gard