Hire an eco-pro landscaper or lawn maintenance service.
Whether you require a landscaping contractor or a lawn maintenance service, it pays to do your homework. Ask questions to ensure that the individual or company is qualified and knowledgeable about ecological landscaping practices.
Find out what's happening in Nyack-Piermontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Does the contractor have any certifications?
The BE GREEN ORGANIC YARDS certification is offered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. It ensures that contractors have undergone training in the basics of organic lawn care and that they agree to avoid synthetic pesticides and other materials.
Find out what's happening in Nyack-Piermontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Is the contractor licensed?
The Rockland County Office of Consumer Protection licenses landscaping and lawn maintenance companies as home improvement contractors. In order to be eligible for a license, individuals must complete technical school training and have a specified number of years of work experience[1]. Additionally, they must carry $500,000 in liability insurance.
What type of equipment will the company use?
Electric mowers and battery-powered maintenance equipment are much better for the environment and for people than their gas-powered counterparts. They do not emit the high volumes of volatile organic compounds (air pollution) or noise that are generated by two-stroke gasoline engines.
What plantings or landscape changes does the contractor recommend?
A knowledgeable professional will be able to recommend changes that will save you money and improve the health and sustainability of your landscape.
Hire a pro that has your health and that of your landscape in mind.
An eco-landscaping pro will save you money in the long run and protect your health and that of the environment.
Look for more eco-landscaping tips in the next edition! Until then, here a few facts for you to mentally file.
- Gas-powered lawnmowers emit 11 times more air pollution than a new car for each hour of operation. (US EPA)
- The average American lawn consumes 10,000 gallons of water each year.
- Typically, 5 – 10 lbs. of pesticides are applied to each acre of lawn per year. The pesticides make their way into the watershed via rain runoff.
- Every summer, 60 million gallons of gasoline are used to power lawn equipment.
[1] Laws of Rockland County, Chapter 286: Licensing Persons Engaged In Home Improvement Businesses and Swimming Pool Construction. Home Improvement Contractor License, Appendix A, Home Improvement License Classifications, No.’s 17 and 18.
