Unless the green and grassy lawn in front of your house has some sentimental value to you, a greener and eco-friendly lawn may be the right one for you and your family.

To keep those grasses on your lawn as green and as plump need a lot of the following: water, pesticide, fertilizer, and gasoline for the lawn mower. According to recent studies, your lawn could be the most ‘ungreen’ space in your home because of the following reasons:

1. The lawn grasses need a considerable amount of water to stay green. During hot months, these lawns need daily watering.

2. The weekly or bi-monthly mowing produces a lot of cut-grass waste. The lawn waste may be biodegradable but they still need to be transported from your home to the landfill.

3. The lawnmower and other gardening equipment are fueled by gasoline and therefore emit carbon dioxide.

4. The monthly application of pesticide and fertilizer wash a lot of dangerous chemicals into soil and water supply. These pest killer formulations contain certain organic chemical compound such as benzene, which is also a known carcinogen.

One of the many ways to turn your lawn to an environment-friendly space is to have it covered with outdoor tiles or plain concrete. The center space can be an inviting play area for the kids, or a picnic table and some chairs for a barbecue party. You can still have some greenery in the form of potted plants or side planters, where shrubs or small trees can be grown in neat rows. There are many plant varieties that need less water and maintenance.

Another way to change your lawn is to build elevated gardens for vegetables and herbs. You will need some old wood planks, lots of hays or straws, and organic fertilizer from compost. This gardening option could mean some hard work to maintain but you will have fresh vegetables and herbs as rewards.