Landscaping to Save Energy

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A Better Way to Landscape FYI LANDSCAPING DID YOU KNOW ? TO SAVE ENERGY Conventional landscapes require Trees and other vegetation benefit According to EPA- Making a Difference energy intensive, polluting, and the climate in many ways: human • A power push mower emits as much pollution expensive maintenance practices comfort, energy conservation, in an hour as 11 cars for Tomorrow through demands for irrigation, cooling urban climates, and • A riding mower emits as much pollution in fertilizers and frequent mowing. reducing air pollution. an hour as 34 cars • Native plants work much better than When we reduce our carbon dioxide Using Climate Friendly Landscape traditional mowed grass as a carbon sink due and nitrous oxide emissions we Guidelines reduce the demand to their extensive root systems and increased are preserving the vitality of the for non-renewable resources ability to retain and store water communities that we appreciate today and improves the water and air • The few ounces spilled during each refueling for generations of tomorrow. quality. Within this brochure are of lawn and garden equipment adds up to steps you can take to make your 17,000,000 gallons of gasoline nationwide, Landscaping for climate change every summer strategies can help to offset the yard climate friendly. • Annual U.S. nitrous oxide emissions began emissions footprint of our rising sharply from 2003 to 2006, largely as everyday activities. a result of increases in the application of synthetic fertilizers (DOE EIA) Reduce Greenhouse Gases such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2) & Nitrous Oxide (N20) • It requires 22,159 Btu of energy to produce one pound of nitrogen (USDA). That’s equivalent to 111 tons of CO2 or emissions from 20 cars • It requires about 180,000 Btu of energy to Climate Friendly Landscape Guidelines produce one pound of insecticide or RAIN GARDEN INFILTRATION AREAS herbicide (USDA). That’s equivalent to 900 tons of CO2 or emissions from 165 cars 7 8 Sarasota Bay Estuary Program www.sarasotabay.org 941.955.8085 5 PERVIOU S 1

WA Sarasota County LK W www.scgov.net A HOUSE STRUCTURE Y www.scgov.net/sustainabilty 941.861.5000 WITH A GREEN ROOF Florida Native Plant Society 10 www.fnps.org 321.271.6702 PERVIOUS PE Association of Native Plant Nurseries RV www.afnn.org 877.352.2366 IO DRIVEWAY U 3 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) S

5 10 Minimize/Eliminate Fertilizers & Pesticides an even bigger difference! bigger even an But more people can make make can people more But Engage Your Neighborhood Neighborhood Engage Your One person can make a difference. difference. a make can person One Reduce emissions associated with { yard. the use of chemicals in your { 4 9 •Green roofs •Rain barrels •Rain gardens rising sea levels. sea rising Remove seawalls. seawalls. Remove against storm surge and and surge storm against It takes energy to pump, energy It takes zones along all shorelines. all along zones Naturalize the Shoreline Naturalize filter and distribute water. filter and distribute water. Create low maintenance buffer buffer maintenance low Create Plant native vegetation to buffer buffer to vegetation native Plant Conserve Energy by Conserving Water Conserving by Energy Conserve { Capture and reuse rainwater with: { 3 8 Create Biodiversity birds and butterflies! landscaped beds and trees. trees. and beds landscaped Reduce Hardened Surfaces Surfaces Hardened Reduce Break-up these heat islands islands heat these Break-up quickly and radiate that heat. heat. that radiate and quickly nitrogen than mowed lawns. Driveways and sidewalks heat up up heat sidewalks and Driveways Plants absorb more carbon and Diversity plantings also attract { with surfaces hardened reducing by {

landscaping 7 2 new trees to decrease decrease to trees new your carbon footprint. carbon your Increase Tree Canopy Canopy Tree Increase

Incorporate Native Plants Plants Native Incorporate Native plants are adapted to to adapted are plants Native Keep mature trees and plant plant and trees mature Keep nitrogen intensive maintenance. maintenance. intensive nitrogen { and carbon less need and conditions local {

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GUIDELINES 6

Minimize Mowing Reuse Yard Waste Waste Reuse Yard •Use groundcovers •Use

•Expand plant beds plant •Expand Lawns require carbon require Lawns back into the soil naturally. soil the into back Recycle carbon and nitrogen nitrogen and carbon Recycle

and nitrogen intensive maintenance. intensive nitrogen and 10 { equipment lawn manual or electric •Use { A Better Way to Landscape FYI LANDSCAPING DID YOU KNOW ? TO SAVE ENERGY Conventional landscapes require Trees and other vegetation benefit According to EPA- Making a Difference energy intensive, polluting, and the climate in many ways: human • A power push mower emits as much pollution expensive maintenance practices comfort, energy conservation, in an hour as 11 cars for Tomorrow through demands for irrigation, cooling urban climates, and • A riding mower emits as much pollution in fertilizers and frequent mowing. reducing air pollution. an hour as 34 cars • Native plants work much better than When we reduce our carbon dioxide Using Climate Friendly Landscape traditional mowed grass as a carbon sink due and nitrous oxide emissions we Guidelines reduce the demand to their extensive root systems and increased are preserving the vitality of the for non-renewable resources ability to retain and store water communities that we appreciate today and improves the water and air • The few ounces spilled during each refueling for generations of tomorrow. quality. Within this brochure are of lawn and garden equipment adds up to steps you can take to make your 17,000,000 gallons of gasoline nationwide, Landscaping for climate change every summer strategies can help to offset the yard climate friendly. • Annual U.S. nitrous oxide emissions began emissions footprint of our rising sharply from 2003 to 2006, largely as everyday activities. a result of increases in the application of synthetic fertilizers (DOE EIA) Reduce Greenhouse Gases such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2) & Nitrous Oxide (N20) • It requires 22,159 Btu of energy to produce one pound of nitrogen (USDA). That’s equivalent to 111 tons of CO2 or emissions from 20 cars • It requires about 180,000 Btu of energy to Climate Friendly Landscape Guidelines produce one pound of insecticide or RAIN GARDEN INFILTRATION AREAS herbicide (USDA). That’s equivalent to 900 tons of CO2 or emissions from 165 cars 7 8 Sarasota Bay Estuary Program www.sarasotabay.org 941.955.8085 5 PERVIOU S 1

W www.epa.org A www.epa.gov/greenacres 800.424.8802 LK AQUATIC SHORELINEAQUATIC VEGETATION W AYS TREES PROVIDE US Climate Science Program SHADE OVER HOUSE4 www.climatescience.gov RAIN GARDEN National Oceanic INFILTRATION and Atmospheric Administration 202.482.6090 www.noaa.gov 9 AREAS WATER 2 SARASOTA BAY 6 ESTUARY PROGRAM SARASOTA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM 1. Minimize Mowing 6. Reuse Yard Waste Compost Bin 2. Incorporate Native Plants 7. Increase Tree Canopy 3. Reduce Hardened Surfaces 8. Create Biodiversity Rain Barrel / Cistern 4. Conserve Energy by Conserving Water 9. Naturalize the Shoreline 5. Minimize/Eliminate Fertilizers & Pesticides 10. Engage Your Neighborhood Climate Friendly Landscaping Printed on recycled content paper A Better Way to Landscape FYI LANDSCAPING DID YOU KNOW ? TO SAVE ENERGY Conventional landscapes require Trees and other vegetation benefit According to EPA- Making a Difference energy intensive, polluting, and the climate in many ways: human • A power push mower emits as much pollution expensive maintenance practices comfort, energy conservation, in an hour as 11 cars for Tomorrow through demands for irrigation, cooling urban climates, and • A riding mower emits as much pollution in fertilizers and frequent mowing. reducing air pollution. an hour as 34 cars • Native plants work much better than When we reduce our carbon dioxide Using Climate Friendly Landscape traditional mowed grass as a carbon sink due and nitrous oxide emissions we Guidelines reduce the demand to their extensive root systems and increased are preserving the vitality of the for non-renewable resources ability to retain and store water communities that we appreciate today and improves the water and air • The few ounces spilled during each refueling for generations of tomorrow. quality. Within this brochure are of lawn and garden equipment adds up to steps you can take to make your 17,000,000 gallons of gasoline nationwide, Landscaping for climate change every summer strategies can help to offset the yard climate friendly. • Annual U.S. nitrous oxide emissions began emissions footprint of our rising sharply from 2003 to 2006, largely as everyday activities. a result of increases in the application of synthetic fertilizers (DOE EIA) Reduce Greenhouse Gases such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2) & Nitrous Oxide (N20) • It requires 22,159 Btu of energy to produce one pound of nitrogen (USDA). That’s equivalent to 111 tons of CO2 or emissions from 20 cars • It requires about 180,000 Btu of energy to Climate Friendly Landscape Guidelines produce one pound of insecticide or RAIN GARDEN INFILTRATION AREAS herbicide (USDA). That’s equivalent to 900 tons of CO2 or emissions from 165 cars 7 8 Sarasota Bay Estuary Program www.sarasotabay.org 941.955.8085 5 PERVIOU S 1