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www.landscapeirrigation.com Landscape and Irrigation April 2016 13 (NEED) project, Climate Change Live, Petfinder, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Although the TurfMutt educational program has enjoyed success in reaching school-age children and their families, Kiser and OPEI would like to see TurfMutt's message reach a much wider audience. A big part of that effort starts with the manufacturers, equipment dealers and contractors in the green industry. SPREAD THE MESSAGE "We've had very real support amongst the manufacturers in direct funding, association funding, and foundation-to-foundation funding," said Kiser. "Several of them have just seen some of the latest TV work, and they're really on board now. Now they get it, and it's working, and so how now to build upon that? How do we engage dealers? How do we engage landscapers? How do we engage homeowners?" According to Kiser, the goal is to expand the TurfMutt program and its message to engage landscape industry professionals and outdoor power equipment dealers to essentially change homeowners and the work they do, or have done, on a home site to become environmentally aware. Kiser added that an environmentally friendly landscape does not have to be native. "It can be maintenance or a combination of adaptive and native," he said. "But let's not lose sight of the performance, the working of a yard, for the family, for the dog. What we don't want to lose is the ability to enjoy the outdoors. Let's maintain it in a way that the family can use it, and still provide the environmental benefit. We're just trying to educate FACT SHEET: The Environmental Benefits of an Everyday Yard Living landscapes with appropriate grasses, trees, shrubs and plants provide a host of environmental benefits. HEAT: Turfgrass dissipates the heat island effect in urban areas. AIR QUALITY: Turfgrass improves air quality. CARBON: Turfgrass is the largest carbon sink in the country. OXYGEN: Our lawns are incredible oxygen-making machines. BIODIVERSITY: Turfgrass supports biodiversity and wildlife. WATER RUN-OFF: Turfgrass assists in controlling water runoff and cleans rainwater before it goes into the ground. SOIL EROSION: Turfgrass controls soil erosion. FIRE BREAK: Turfgrass is a natural and effective fire break. NOISE POLLUTION: Turfgrass helps control noise pollution. PLAY SPACE: Turfgrass provides a safe place for children and pets to play. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT INSTITUTE. FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, VISIT OPEI.ORG/STEWARDSHIP. According to OPEI, even in a drought, you can have a lawn. It just needs to be the right lawn. The following are OPEI's recommendations: Think long and hard before installing hardscape or artificial turf as a lawn replacement. These surfaces can heat up dramatically to the point of burning people and pets, and offer none of the oxygen-producing and pollutant-cleansing benefits of grass. And they still require water to clean them and remove pet waste. Plant the right turfgrass. Hundreds of varieties of turfgrass exist, and some of them are perfect for drought conditions. For example, buffalo grass, when established, requires very little water. Let it turn brown. In drought-challenged areas, we must get out of the mindset that all plants must stay green all the time. Grass will turn brown when it goes into dormancy. Turfgrass is incredibly resilient. It will spring back to green when rain comes back. Don't overwater grass. Grass gets lazy if you water it too much. Make grass work hard for its water. If watered too much, grass sends its roots horizontally. With little water, grass will send its roots deeper, vertically, seeking water. As a result of having to work harder, it will do a better job of sequestering carbon and releasing oxygen. Water wisely. Only water your yard when it is necessary. Install watering solutions that help you use less water, but still permit you to have a living landscape. Install smart controllers on irrigation systems. Mix native plants with adaptive plants and grasses. We no longer live in a native environment. We live in cities and suburbs where we must incorporate plants into an area with a lot of concrete, asphalt, people and traffic. A mixture of both native plants and drought-resistant adaptive species can survive these conditions. Evolve your yard. Incorporate pollinator plants for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Even in the desert, a host of plants flower. Plant to slow and capture water. Water sheets off hard surfaces, asphalt and other hardscapes in cities and suburbs. Grass and plants will slow down and capture this water. Use grasses that are traffic ready. Buffalo grass and Bermuda grass are drought-tolerant options, but they also can survive foot traffic, children's play and pets. Remember, nature starts at your back door. Your yard may also be a living habitat for insects, worms and spiders. These creatures provide food for birds and small mammals such as squirrels. How you take care of your yard will impact them too. THE RIGHT LAWN ALL PHOTOS AND GRAPHICS PROVIDED BY THE OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT INSTITUTE SPECIAL FEATURE