Episode 33 - Turfgrass and Lawns

Source: NASA

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Link to the Freakonomics podcast discussed throughout this week's episode.

Episode Highlights:
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• [1:25] Father's Day recap - John and Brent share their Father's Day stories.

• [4:24] The Birthday Game - Play along:
  
  
  • Mike Johanns
    
    
  • Elizabeth Warren
    
    
  • Dianne Feinstein

• [7:00] Intro to Freakonomics episode - Overview of the recent Freakonomics podcast episode "How Stupid Is Our Obsession With Lawns?" 

• [9:24] Role of turfgrass in the U.S. - We take a closer look at some of the claims made in the Freakonomics podcast about the role of turfgrass and lawns.
  
  
  • Brent estimates that 25 percent of American lawns are irrigated.
    
    
  • Lawns generally need about 1 inch of water per week.
    
    
  • Contrary to the suggestion in the Freakonomics podcast, turfgrass is not the most irrigated crop in the U.S.
    
    
  • Benefits of turfgrass include carbon sequestration, erosion control, dust control and noise abatement.

• [19:05] Carbon footprint of lawns - Lawn equipment manufacturers have made great advances in developing efficient engines for lawnmowers, blowers and string trimmers.

• [23:38] Municipal irrigation - Municipal irrigation is often done with reclaimed water.
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  • In California, for example, reclaimed water not used to irrigate highway medians and cloverleafs is simply returned to the ocean.

• [27:12] Role of local regulations - Local regulations and climate conditions can help determine the best lawn or landscape for you!

• [31:51] Tip of the Week - Brent is back to offer this week's tip:
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  • Water your lawn only when you need to.