Landscape Waste Prevention

Sustainable Landscaping

Inefficiently managed landscapes increase maintenance costs and waste natural resources. In addition, excess fertilizers or pesticides pollute the environment. By utilizing sustainable landscaping practices, professional landscapers and homeowners produce beautiful landscapes that reduce maintenance costs and protect the environment.

Sustainable landscaping practices produce significant economic and environmental benefits. Savings include reduced labor, water and fertilizer costs, lower hauling expenses and disposal fees. Grasscycling, mulching, and composting practices enhance the soil. These practices increase the water-holding capacity of soil, reduce erosion, and conserve water. By applying necessary amounts of water, fertilizer, pruning and Integrated Pest Management, homeowners encourage healthier, disease-resistant plants. They can reduce the amount of pesticide, fertilizer, and other runoff that pollute creeks, lakes, and rivers.

The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) encourages the use of sustainable landscaping practices and participates in River-Friendly Landscaping Coalition (RFLC). The RFLC is a collaboration between public agencies, non-profit organizations, designers, private landscape architects, and contractors in the Greater Sacramento Region. Through sustainable landscaping practices, RFLC envisions improved health of communities and ecosystems in the Sacramento Valley and surrounding foothills.

CalRecycle collaborates with the Department of Water Resources to promote the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (PDF, 417 KB). CalRecycle highlights ordinance provisions to surface apply compost that conserves water in landscaped plantings.

For a summary of funded projects, visit CalRecycle's Demonstration Projects page.

CalRecycle Resources

• A Landscaper's Guide To Reducing Yard Waste
• Assessing Product Quality-Purchasing Compost and Mulch
• Compost Regulations
• Demonstration Projects
• Erosion Control Studies/Research
• Grasscycling
• Locating Compost and Mulch Facilities
• Organics Publications
• Public Agency Landscape Maintenance Practices
• Purchasing/End Use Guideline Development
• Sustainable Environmental Design Education
• Using Compost in Water Efficient Landscapes (PDF, 109 KB)
• Xeriscaping-Establishing a Water Efficient Landscape

CalRecycle Publications and Video

• Best Management Practices to Reduce Production of Organic Materials in Landscape Plantings
• Reusing Turfgrass Clippings to Improve Turfgrass Health and Performance in Central and Northern California
• Reusing Turfgrass Clippings to Improve Turfgrass Health and Performance in Southern California
• Sustainable Landscaping
• Sustainable Landscape Video (October 2009) (Windows Media Video: 1.12 Mbps; 2:23 minutes | YouTube | Transcript, Adobe PDF, 18 KB)
  Chapter 10 of CalRecycle's 12-chapter Best Practices in Waste Reduction video. All chapters are available to watch on YouTube or our Video Central training page. Please feel free to contact the CalRecycle Office of Public Affairs for more information on the video.

Other Related Information Sites

• Bay-Friendly Landscaping for Professionals
• Bay-Friendly Qualified Landscape Professionals
• California Irrigation Management Information System
• California Friendly Garden Guide
• California Landscape Contractors Association
• California Native Plant Society
• Healthy Lawn, Healthy Environment (PDF, 5.4 MB)
• Irrigation Water Needs of Landscape Plants in California (WUCOLS)
• Landscape Architects Technical Committee
• Northern California Turf and Landscape Council
• PLANET Professional Landcare Network
• River-Friendly Landscape Guidelines (PDF, 5.36 MB)
• Southern California Turfgrass Council
• UC Agricultural and Natural Resources County Offices
• UC Davis Agricultural Sustainability Institute
• UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Project
• U.S. Composting Council
• U.S. EPA Composting Publications
• U.S. EPA GreenScapes Program