Brianna Nosler

English 145

Mr. Marx

Alternative Landscaping to Improve Cal Poly’s Sustainability

Sustainability is a term referring to the capability to provide support for the current population by meeting the needs of economic development, the environment, and social organization without compromising future generations. The economy’s goal is to maximize the flow of income without damaging the environment’s natural resources, achieved by comparing costs and benefits of economic activities. Overall, the organized social system and government’s goals are to protect the environment, while working to ensure society’s basic needs (Munasinghe). At the local level, Cal Poly has begun improving its campus by using more sustainable methods considering the economic, environmental and social aspects of the university community to better its campus for the future. However, Cal Poly can improve its sustainability by applying these methods to the campus’ landscaping plan.

Using lawns in a landscape design is not only wasteful, but also harmful. According to the Sierra Club, Americans spend 8.4 billion each year on their lawns due to the purchases of fertilizers, chemical herbicides, and pesticides (Wasowski). Fertilizer can be beneficial in gardens if applied in small amounts, but too much fertilizer creates pollution in the form of run-off, putting excess nitrogen and other nutrients into river and coastal waters, thereby changing the composition of the water and resulting in damage to the environment. In addition, herbicides and pesticides have a more powerful effect; the use of these weed and bug killers has resulted in the deaths of pollinators, beneficial natural predators, fish, and birds. They may also harm or even kill human beings by causing cancer, birth defects, and diseases of the reproductive, immune, and neurological systems. The EPA considers 30% of all pesticides and 60% of all herbicides as potentially cancer-causing agents. By the age of five, millions of children have ingested 35% or more pesticides from their food, not to mention the amount of pesticides introduced to children even before birth. Nearly every woman living in the U.S. has pesticides in her breast milk. It is distressing to think the U.S. still uses 911 million pounds of synthetic pesticides each year on its agricultural crops even after realizing the harm pesticides cause (Synthetic Pesticides). Unfortunately, Cal Poly participates in this harmful environmental practice.

Another major problem arisen from lawn care is water waste. Nearly 97% of the world's water consists of undrinkable saltwater, 2 % is trapped in glaciers, and of the 1% left we use most of it on lawns, in washing machines, and down toilets and drains, not as drinking water (Smith). And of that home water, 50% to 70% is used outdoors, such as watering lawns and in gardens. About 85% of landscape problems are from over-watering: we waste much of that water by allowing it to overflow onto sidewalks and into drainpipes (Vickers). So how do we solve these problems and create a more sustainable environment on Cal Poly’s campus?

Cal Poly’s campus can become more sustainable through alternative landscaping, a design made possible through careful planning of outdoor spaces. Traditional lawns require mowing, watering, and the use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to keep the lawn looking its best, but alternative landscaping plants and grasses require less energy, effort, and expense. Some viable examples of alternative landscaping include Xeriscaping, ornamental grasses, ground cover, clover, and alternative grasses. Xeriscaping is the designing of a landscape creatively in order to save water. Native and drought-tolerant plants, such as wildflowers, succulents, and ornamental grasses are water-conserving plants most commonly used. When planting grass, the type of grass with less water demanding qualities should be chosen and it should be limited to appropriate areas. Xeriscaping also suggests using a drip irrigation system because they deliver water directly to the base of the plant compared to hand watering and sprinklers, which loses most of the water to evaporation (Beaulieu). As mentioned as a good alternative for Xeriscaping, ornamental grasses are a type of plant that helps reduce water. Compared to a “functional grass,” ornamental grass is not meant to be stepped upon or mowed, which saves time and money (Seaman). Ground cover plants are low growing plants that spread across the ground evenly. They do not require mowing, as much watering, or even fertilizer application, and they also act as mulch, enhancing the soil and choking out weeds, so no herbicides are needed. All they need is a barrier to keep them from continuing to expand and grow out (Seaman). An even less expensive alternative is the clover, a nitrogen-fixing plant that enriches the soil as a natural fertilizer. Clovers reduce soil compaction because they have longer roots than lawns, enabling the plant to access water at deeper levels. This alternative does not need to be mowed as often as a traditional lawn and can better endure foot traffic (Beaulieu).

Some landowners simply will never get rid of their traditional lawn. Lawns have an aesthetic appeal that alternatives cannot provide by creating an illusion of space. Lawns, despite their expense and maintenance, are preferred, as many landowners are not satisfied with groundcovers or tall meadow grasses as alternatives. On the university level, such alternatives could not be used on Cal Poly athletic fields, so for those traditional lawn lovers, there are alternative grasses. One, for instance is Buffalo grass. This grass has a soft texture for walking barefoot on, yet is hardy enough to sod a football field; it uses less water and does not need to be mowed as often as traditional grasses (Wasowski). There are also many other types of grasses that could be a good alternative for Cal Poly’s wasteful lawns. Grasses, such as the West Coaster, Bull's-Eye Bermuda, Tifgreen 328, Tifway II, and TifSport are perfect for large lawn areas (like Cal Poly’s athletic fields) that have a lot of foot traffic because they provide superior wear tolerance. These grasses perform especially well in costal California because of their ability to survive in the extreme heat of summer. Few of these grasses can tolerate some shade, but prefer full sun during the day. They only require low to moderate level of maintenance, depending upon the desired look: manicured or natural. These grasses all have different textures, which also leaves room for preference and expression. Other grasses that would be better for lounging lawn areas, like Cal Poly’s Dexter lawn, are more shade resistant grasses, such as the Fine Fescue, Palmetto St. Augustine, the Victoria Zoysia, and the De Anza Zoysia. Although they can tolerate more shade, they are also warm season grasses, which can withstand heat during the day as well. These grasses are slower growing, which means they require less water, fertilizer, herbicides, and mowing. They also have a finer quality texture with varying degrees of firmness. All of these grasses are native hybrids of previously studied grasses perfected to suit the needs of a traditional lawn with fewer requirements to keep them maintained. Some do not require, but do recommend, using special types of mowers (Most Popular Varieties). This is a minimal cost compared to the money these types of grasses could save the university. By using some of these alternative choices, Cal Poly’s sustainability on campus could be greatly improved.

Unfortunately, the university has not taken the risk and applied these alternative plants and lawns on campus, which is a problem: in order for Cal Poly to be sustainable, the environment has to be taken care of, but the economic and social aspects that affect the design must be considered as well. In my recent interview about sustainability with Mr. Jens Pohl, Executive Director of the CAED research center, he said that as human beings “we do not like change, and sustainability is change.” The only way that we will change is if we feel threatened. Now that we are losing resources and fears of global warming have arisen, these issues become the threat that forces us to change. However, alternative methods still feel risky. Small experiments do not always translate with the same results when applied to larger projects, and can be costly, which is the ultimate determinant in terms of Cal Poly’s landscaping plan (Pohl, May 25, 2007). There are places on campus where lawns are necessary, such as athletic fields and lounging lawns. According to Lead Groundskeeper, Mr. Scott Loosley, over winter break, Dexter lawn was over seeded with the perennial rye seed (Loosley, May 31, 2007). The perennial rye is a tough grass that can withstand wear, disease and insect pests (Ryegrasses), though this grass is not very efficient for a sustainable campus because it requires a lot of watering (Guide to Ryegrass). The grass most commonly used on campus is the non-native Kikuyu grass (Loosley, May 31, 2007). This grass can tolerate heat, recovers quickly from damage, and has a low disease incidence, but this grass is not the most appealing grass; it is often considered a weed because of its vigorous growth (Kikuyu Grass). Mr. Loosley recognized that this grass was a weedy turf, but also as a functional grass (Loosley, May 31, 2007). Other functional grasses on campus consist of a mix of grass types. The less-attractive broadleaf and clover grasses are used to over-seed main lawns. When mixed they produce better-looking grass with more sustainable qualities. Among the athletic fields, the grass known as hybrid bermuda is used (Loosley, May 31, 2007). Its qualities include its fine texture and vigorous growth that naturally deters weeds. Though this grass may be efficient for heavy foot traffic, it does not satisfy the environmental and economical needs. Since this grass is dormant in the winter, it requires extra water. Also during the hybrid bermuda’s growing season (Growing Beautiful Hybrid Bermuda), fertilizer should be applied monthly (Care of Tifgreen Hybrid Bermuda). Some of these grass types have sustainable qualities, but many have qualities that contribute to pollution and the waste of limited resources, one of the many problems associated with maintaining a sustainable landscape on a college campus.

Another un-sustainable landscaping practice Cal Poly struggles with is their old irrigation system. The method used to check how much water the grass requires is by observing the color and texture of the grass, which is not the most scientific method. Mr. Loosley said, “about 90% of irrigation systems are automatic,” which saves water because it is set for early mornings when the water is less susceptible to evaporation. However with a set schedule it is also hard to control the system; over-watering on a rainy day or under watering during extreme heat conditions is more likely to occur with this system.

Cal Poly has not replaced its un-sustainable plants because its campus is used as a living laboratory for “horticulture students to identify different plant species;” these plants have to be frequently irrigated for that purpose. The campus does have sustainable plants, such as the water-conserving ivy, but there are also many plants which the campus grows for the horticulture classes (Loosley, May 31, 2007).

Cal Poly has had sustainable success through integrated pest management (IPM), organic fertilization and mulches. Since pesticides are a problem, Cal Poly’s groundskeepers do their best to not use these harmful products. IPM is an environmentally sensitive approach to pest management, that includes studying the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment, then using natural predators and parasites, cultural practices, biological controls and various physical techniques to dispose of them. When chemical fertilizers are used, plants are susceptible to disease because the soil requires minerals such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, which organic fertilizer takes out of the soil. Pesticide and herbicide use could be limited through the use of organic fertilizers and mulches. Organic mulching may not be as attractive as additional plant would be, but Cal Poly took the risk by using mulches, resulting in less water usage and suppressed weed growth, which in turn reduces pests and pesticide use. Cal Poly’s landscape is well on its way to become sustainable, although it has much to improve, despite the fear to change.

Even with risk factors, such as Mr. Pohl mentioned, Cal Poly continues to experiment with sustainable solutions. Cal Poly pushed their fears aside and experimented with landscaping techniques on a small scale by testing sustainable resources. Gently tucked into the north end of Cal Poly’s campus is five acres of a diverse plant collection, called the “arboretum.” This living laboratory consists of student and faculty arrangements of appropriately chosen trees, shrubs, and other landscape plants fit for California’s central coast area (Eltzroth, Home). Student and faculty designers of the arboretum go through many steps to achieve a sustainable, yet aesthetically pleasing garden. This garden management encompasses choosing the right location for each plant, recycling green waste, using organic mulches, and implementing friendly pest control methods in order to have a positive impact on the environment (Eltzroth, Horticulture in Harmony). To meet their goal of obtaining a sustainable garden, arboretum planners place native plants with the same living conditions in specific watering zones. In most cases, the garden is fed through a naturally occurring streambed that runs through the arboretum, although, some irrigation is used throughout the dry summer. Cal Poly’s arboretum is also sustainable through the use of recycling green waste. After pruning, clipping, and retrieving plant debris, such as, bark products, wood chips, and pine needles from the garden, they are recycled on campus or at a center nearby. Through recycling, the plant debris is turned into organic mulch that increases soil health by allowing it to retain moisture and replace nutrients used by plants. It also reduces the need to use fertilizer and water because it improves the soil’s water-holding capacity. This same recycling process is done with grass, using a mulching lawn mower that feeds nitrogen, a source of nutrients, back into the grass. When used extensively, mulching chokes out weed seedlings before they establish themselves, which reduces herbicide use.

In addition to native plants used, the garden has a 4,000 square foot lawn of a native grass called carex praegracilis. Although the carex grass is not typically used as a lawn and left un-mowed, it has proven useful as a lawn when maintained. Its watering and fertilizer requirements are heavy while being established, but once settled it requires less watering, mowing, fertilizer, and de-thatching than the traditional lawn it replaced. It also provides a nice medium texture along with tolerance to foot traffic, necessary for college campus requirements (Eltzroth, California Native Carex Lawn).

Another sustainable practice is through the use of “beneficials.” Beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, wasps, lacewings, and butterflies naturally control insect pests, limiting the use of harmful pesticides. Although there are some pests that beneficials do not naturally control, in those cases environmental friendly pesticides, such as household rubbing alcohol, can be used (Eltzroth- Horticulture in Harmony). Through these steps, Cal Poly’s arboretum has become a sustainable garden for visitors to enjoy.

Current sustainable practices show how determined Cal Poly is to improve its landscaping on campus, although if Cal Poly implemented other ideas of alternative landscaping (like the arboretum) across campus it could better its sustainability. Since water is a limited resource, using a similar run-off filtering as the arboretum’s system could feed the grass of Cal Poly’s athletic fields more naturally. Also as Mr. Loosley mentioned, our irrigation system is automatic and the amount of water to use on the grasses is determined by viewing the grasses color and texture. A newer and more beneficial method to solve this problem is called an Evapotranspiration (ET) test, which analyzes the climatic factors, such as temperature, wind speed, humidity, and precipitation in the area, then calculates the watering schedule by matching this data with the water requirements of the grass (Your Lawn). This process reduces the risk of under and over-watering, which saves money and a limited resource. By replacing non-sustainable plants with the already experimented plants from the arboretum on campus where lawns are unnecessary, these water-conserving plants could be aesthetically pleasing, while also impacting Cal Poly’s sustainability. Cal Poly prides itself in being a sustainable campus, but allows un-sustainable plants to inhabit areas all over campus to be identified by horticulture students. If sustainability is what Cal Poly advertises, then the campus should follow those regulations. Horticulture students can take a quick walk off campus to find some of the same variety of plants or identify all the sustainable types of plants that the campus has to offer. However, alternative plants would not work for Cal Poly’s athletic fields and lounging lawns, which are necessary for college campuses. The grasses on campus have been functional for many years and groundskeepers have done their best to maintain those lawns, but alternative lawns with more sustainable qualities require less maintenance. Exchanging current grasses, such as the Kikuyu, with native grasses more adapted to central California’s weather is one improvement. Alternative grasses could be financially beneficial for Cal Poly if replaced by more water-, fertilizer-, and pesticide-efficient types of grasses, like the arboretum’s successful experimental, native grass, the carex praegracilis. The alternatives used in the arboretum serve as a good example for the rest of Cal Poly’s campus. Cal Poly has taken small steps towards an improved environmentally friendly landscaping, but with additional alternative lawns and plants, it can go much farther to reach its goal of being a sustainable college campus for future generations.

Bibliography

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Loosley, Scott. 31 May 2007.

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Pictures from Cal Poly’s Arboretum

The arboretum has a wide array of flowers with many textures and colors. It is amazing that these beautiful landscaped plants and lawns have created a sustainable environment.