TurfMutt Celebrates Earth Day: 8 Ways Managed Landscapes Benefit the Planet

LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This Earth Day—and throughout April's Lawn and Garden Month—the TurfMutt Foundation is spotlighting the vital role green spaces play in creating a healthier planet.

Landscaping, especially turfgrass, absorbs and filters rainwater, helping to replenish ground water supplies.

"Every day is Earth Day in communities that invest in parks, schoolyards, and backyards," says Kris Kiser, President & CEO of the TurfMutt Foundation, which has advocated for the care and use of green spaces around us for over 15 years. "These landscapes are environmental powerhouses, helping to cool our neighborhoods, support biodiversity, and improve air quality. We encourage everyone to plant something, step outside, and embrace the nature just beyond their doorstep."

8 ways managed landscapes help save the planet:

Cool Down Our Communities – Parks, yards, natural turf sports fields, and green schoolyards help reduce the urban heat island effect.

Boost Oxygen Production – Trees, lawns, and greenery act as natural oxygen generators.

Capture Carbon – Turfgrass is an efficient carbon sink, absorbing up to seven times more carbon than is released through maintenance.

Support Wildlife & Pollinators – Living landscapes provide essential food and shelter for birds, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.

Improve Air Quality – Vegetation acts as nature's air filter, trapping dust and pollutants to keep our air clean.

Reduce Noise Pollution – Plants and trees serve as natural sound barriers, helping to create quieter environments.

Manage Water Runoff – Landscaping, especially turfgrass, absorbs and filters rainwater, helping to replenish ground water supplies.

Prevent Soil Erosion – Plant roots help stabilize the soil, reducing erosion and protecting land from degradation.

To help children and families explore the benefits of green spaces, the TurfMutt Foundation offers free lesson plans and activities designed to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.

Discover more in the TurfMutt Foundation's International Backyarding Fact Book, and don't miss Mulligan the TurfMutt on CBS's Lucky Dog Saturday mornings.

Stay connected with Mutt Mail, the TurfMutt Foundation's monthly newsletter packed with backyarding tips and updates.

Link to photos: https://bit.ly/4bQZj5F

Link to video: https://youtu.be/UBVJ4DMQfm4

Media contact 
Debbi Mayster, Four Leaf PR on behalf of the TurfMutt Foundation, 240-988-6243,
debbi@fourleafpr.com

About the TurfMutt Foundation
TurfMutt, which celebrated its 15^th anniversary in 2024, was created by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute's (OPEI) TurfMutt Foundation and has reached more than 70 million children, educators and families since 2009. Championed by Foundation spokesdog, Mulligan the TurfMutt, and through education partners such as Scholastic, Discovery and Weekly Reader, TurfMutt has taught students and teachers how to "save the planet, one yard at a time." Today, TurfMutt is an official USGBC^® Education Partner and part of their global LEARNING LAB. TurfMutt has been an education resource at the U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Green Apple, the Center for Green Schools, the Outdoors Alliance for Kids, the National Energy Education Development (NEED) project, Climate Change Live, Petfinder and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2017, the TurfMutt animated video series won the coveted Cynopsis Kids Imagination Award for Best Interstitial Series. TurfMutt's personal home habitat was featured in the 2017-2020 Wildlife Habitat Council calendars. In 2024, the Great Lawn at Louisville's award-winning Waterfront Park on the Ohio River was renamed the TurfMutt Foundation Great Lawn as part of a $1 million sponsorship. More information at www.TurfMutt.com.

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SOURCE TurfMutt Foundation