Lawns aren’t purely an aesthetic addition to your home; they are an integral part of the natural environment. The grass around homes covers more acreage than you might think. In fact, lawns take up more space than the top eight cultivated crops in the U.S. combined. Homeowners can care for their lawns in one of two ways: organic or inorganic maintenance. There are big differences between the two – organic lawn care products are biodegradable and never genetically engineered. Inorganic lawn care products – while less expensive than organic products – contain chemicals that are harmful to plants, wildlife and possibly even your family. Despite a higher price tag, there are a multitude of reasons organic lawn care is superior.

Safer ingredients

Organic lawn care products contain safe substances such as manure, burned eggshells, fishmeal and compost. On the other hand, inorganic products contain harmful chemicals such as ammonium sulfate, potassium nitrate and potassium chloride. These chemicals can seep into the city water supply, and lead to illnesses over time. Overexposure to synthetic chemicals can cause skin, eyes, nose and throat irritation. It’s one thing to have an unhealthy lawn, but when your lawn care products start making you sick, it’s time for a change.

Less harmful to animals

It’s spring, so you’re probably beginning to hear the songs of the birds that have migrated to the state each morning. If you use inorganic lawn care, you are risking the lives of these birds and many other animals in the neighborhood. When harmful chemicals seep into the water supply, the main drinking source for wildlife is contaminated. It’s not just large animals you need to worry about – microorganisms that control pest populations suffer from inorganic products. These microscopic creatures are what keep the soil fertile, so it pays to keep them healthy.

Less harmful to plants

Overexposure to synthetic chemicals can actually burn your lawn and harm the plants around it. These products pollute the soil by increasing salt concentration to unsustainable levels. The abundance of salt dehydrates plants and destroys their tissues. Many inorganic products have an excessive amount of major nutrients, which bind to trace nutrients. In these cases, the trace nutrients are unavailable to the grass. Synthetic fertilizers are water-soluble, so chemical runoff is a real concern. You can affect trees, bushes and grasses that are miles away with inorganic fertilizers.

Better for the air

The overuse of chemical fertilizers over the last 50 years has led to a rise in nitrous oxide levels in the atmosphere. This is a harmful greenhouse gas that plays a major role in climate change. Nitrogen-based fertilizers stimulate microbes in the soil to create nitrous oxide at a faster than normal rate. Excessive amounts of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere trap heat below, contributing to global warming. The chemical harms the stratospheric ozone, which protects plants from unsafe UV rays. Even the production of inorganic fertilizers requires biofuels that emit greenhouse gasses. Breathe easier knowing you’ve made the right choice going organic.

However you look at it, inorganic lawn care simply isn’t worth the damage it causes to people, plants, animals and air. Choosing organic products is better for your lawn and the environment in the long run. Synthetic products may get results faster and cheaper, but the trade-offs simply aren’t worth the purchase. Organic lawn care is quickly becoming a top choice for homeowners across the country. Grow your grass the way Mother Nature intended with organic lawn care services.