The American Lawn Monthly Newsletter - September 2007 In This Issue Creating Quality of Life Questions and Answers Special Savings: Tree & Shrub Deep Root Fertilization _______________________________ Creating the Quality of Life in Communities Across America The service that green industry professionals perform is evidenced in lush green lawns, colorful plantings, and majestic trees that adorn commercial, municipal, and residential properties throughout our great country. Members of the Green Industry design, build, and maintain these beautiful landscapes, and in so doing contribute to the quality of life in our cities, states, and overall, the nation. As many homeowners and other property owners may already know, research has shown that beautiful, well-maintained landscapes increase property value and have physiological and psychological benefits. These same landscapes provide recreational opportunities for families, control pests, softens the glare from the sun, and help to minimize noise, especially in urban environments. Even more significant in the world today, well-maintained lawns and trees also remove carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) from the atmosphere as it works to generate pure oxygen. In fact, our industry has a positive impact on the environment in several ways. Here are a few areas where we act as stewards of the environment: - Carbon sequestering. We have heard a lot of talk lately about "carbon footprints," "carbon credits," and the overall negative impact the buildup of carbon dioxide has on our environment. All plant material contains chlorophyll, which through the process of photosynthesis complexes carbon dioxide from the air. With the help of sunshine and water, the carbon dioxide gas is converted into carbon-containing compounds found in leaves, root systems, and the soil itself. In other words, healthy grass, plants, and trees work every day to reverse the greenhouse effect while releasing pure oxygen back into the atmosphere. - Healthy, well-designed and maintained landscapes do not stop at carbon sequestering in the battle to remove climate-changing greenhouse gases from our atmosphere. The front lawns of just eight average size homes provide the cooling effect of approximately 70 tons of air conditioning. Working in conjunction with landscape elements including shade trees, shrubs, and flowers, the grass plants help to reduce reliance on electricity and the burning of fossil fuels that emit carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. - Grass plants act as an atmosphere filter trapping dust, dirt, and smoke, and they trap and hold rainfall better than most surfaces, thereby reducing water loss by runoff. These are just a few of the reasons why green roofs are gaining in popularity in urban environments around the country. - A healthy lawn acts as a protective shield against environmental concerns in other ways, too. For example, a Cornell University study has shown that a healthy, properly fertilized lawn is the best protection against possible nitrogen leaching into the water. Lawn America Pride At LawnAmerica, we are proud of what we do for our customers and the environment. While the message from some who want to push their own agenda that professional lawncare is harmful to the environment, the opposite is true! Science is on our side, and the research is clear that properly caring for your lawn is the best thing a homeowner can do to help perform their part in helping the development of the urban environment. ________________________________ Questions & Answers Question: My lawn is going to be aerated and over seeded with fescue this fall. How long should I wait to mow after the seed has been put down? Answer: Wait as long as you can! Once the fescue seed germinates, it is best to give it as long as possible to build up and develop a root system. Once the turf is high enough, make sure your blade is sharp and try not to turn too hard on the new grass. This is one of the times when it is a good idea to collect grass clippings when you mow. Mowing more closely and bagging the clippings helps the new grass seedlings get more light to encourage good, strong growth. _________________________________ $5 Off - Tree and Shrub Deep Root Fertilization Your trees and shrubs represent a growing investment that is worth protecting! Deep root fertilization applied to all trees and shrubs in your landscape helps to provide healthier plants. Your Name ________________________________________ Your Address ______________________________________ Phone __________________ City ______________________ ZIP ______________ Customer # _____________________ www.lawnamerica.com/treeandshrub.html Present this coupon for $5 off (not valid with any other offers). _________________________________ Go Out To Dinner On Us! We appreciate your help in growing our business. Our main focus in growing our business has always, and will always be, to try to please our customers so much that the will tell others about us. When dealing with lawns and the havoc Mother Nature throws our way sometimes, that can be a real challenge! As our way of saying thanks for sending us a new customer, we have created a new Customer Referral Program. For every new customer you refer to LawnAmerica that begins service with us, we will send you a $25 Gift Card to participating restaurants such as Macaroni Grill, On the Border, Chilis, and Maggianos. You can go to our website at www.lawnamerica.com/referral and go to the homepage of your local operator and enter in the contact information for your referral. We will take it from there and provide them with a free estimate and information on LawnAmerica. You know us well enough that we are not going to slam them and use high-pressure sales techniques. We will treat them right, and make you look good for referring LawnAmerica. If they begin service with us, we will send you a $25 Gift Card in the mail for you to enjoy. _________________________________ Refer A Friend! For every new customer you refer to LawnAmerica that begins service with us, we will send you a $25 Gift Card in the mail for you to enjoy! www.lawnamerica.com/referral Your Information Your Name _____________________________________ Your Address ___________________________________ Phone __________________ City ___________________ ZIP ___________________ Referral Information Their Name _________________________________________ Their Address _______________________________________ Phone __________________ City ___________________ ZIP ___________________