Climate Solutions in Ocean Friendly Gardens

Climate change is evident all around us as record breaking temperatures, wildfires, large coastal storms, flooding, droughts, and a shifting natural world are becoming our everyday reality. What can we do on an individual level to make a difference and not get discouraged?

We can change our perspective toward our role towards relieving the climate emergency by changing the habits and impacts within our own personal control. We can turn to nature - a resilient, interconnected system that is shaped by cycles and patterns much larger than any one individual.

Growing an Ocean Friendly Garden is a part of the nature-based solutions revolution. The Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Friendly Gardens program promotes strategies that prevent water pollution, build biodiversity, and create climate resilience with the help of home and community gardeners. Gardens can restore our connection to nature as we support a living network capable of healing itself when given the chance. We all have the ability to help restore balance in the environment, to take control of our future with resilient systems that have existed for as long as life itself.

While global leaders, grassroots activists, and organizations like Surfrider work together to negotiate long term, far reaching solutions to the climate crisis, we can all start today by growing a better future at home and in our communities. Instead of being overwhelmed by what we can’t do or what we can’t give up, we can instead devote our yards, containers, community gardens, and neglected public spaces to make a positive impact. Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Gardens program is approaching the climate problem with nature on our side by creating and stewarding green spaces that mimic natural watersheds, planting lush arrays of native plants, and encouraging people to opt out of harmful chemicals.

Ocean Friendly Gardens retain and filter rainwater, preventing ocean-bound stormwater pollution while creating healthy soils that store carbon long term. By avoiding climate-intensive maintenance and creating native plant habitat, we are nurturing networks of nature and cooling our communities.

Reducing urban heat

Heat waves are becoming more severe in both frequency and duration due to climate change^[1]. Surfaces like streets, sidewalks, and buildings make hotter temperatures even more unbearable in our cities and neighborhoods due to the urban heat island effect^[2]. Gardens and plants in urban areas can reduce nearby temperatures by 7° F, which can make a big difference on a hot summer day^[3].

Increasing biodiversity

The world has seen a 69% drop in the relative abundance of mammal, bird, fish, reptile, and amphibian populations since 1970^[4]. While many animals face new challenges driven by climate change and habitat loss, we can ease their struggles with native plants that offer familiar food, shelter, and dependability in a changing environment.

Absorb & store carbon in healthy soils

Soil is one of the largest pools of carbon on the planet, storing more carbon than living plants and animals on land^[5]. Deep rooted plants, mulch, and compost can all help support healthier soils that sequester carbon for the future.

Reducing runoff & rehydrating watersheds

Small-scale rain gardens and curb cuts can reduce the amount of runoff from a neighborhood by 90%^[6]. A single established tree can prevent over 1600 gallons of urban runoff from polluting the ocean^[7]. Simple contours and bioswales can redirect rainfall into the ground, while rain barrels and cisterns prevent runoff and provide irrigation.

Conserving water

Grass lawns cover 40 million acres in the U.S., over three times the area of any irrigated crop^[8]. In arid places like Southern California, water is often transported over large distances to reach homes and buildings.

About a third of the water used in our homes is devoted to watering lawns and gardens^[9], which can be greatly reduced by using native and climate appropriate plants that thrive without wasting water. By irrigating responsibly and with high efficiency technology we can prevent wasteful overspray and runoff that increases the demand for outdoor water.

Reducing the carbon footprint of maintenance

Gas powered lawn mowers, blowers, trimmers, and hedgers in the U.S. release over 20 million tons of carbon dioxide and 6 million tons of toxic air pollution every year.^[10] Unlike the gas motors found in cars, these tools include less efficient 2-stroke engines and are lacking technology to prevent air pollution. In addition to the fossil fuels used in gas powered lawn and garden equipment (GLGE), gardeners spill an additional 17 million gallons of fuel a year when refueling. By mowing less frequently, switching to electric equipment, or swapping out high maintenance turf and hedges for better suited plants, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and the carbon footprint caused by routinely mowing and blowing.

Reducing chemical fertilizer use

Gardeners in the U.S. use 840 million pounds of chemical fertilizers a year with an impact of between 3 to 10 tons of carbon emissions per 1 ton of fertilizer. These potent nutrients fuel harmful algal blooms and high levels of bacteria, often making waterways and beaches unsafe for humans and wildlife after it rains. Compost and mulch can provide organic nutrients that are less likely to wash away, and native plants are adapted to thrive without chemical fertilizers.

Keeping organics out of landfills

Food scraps and yard trimmings make up 33% of our total waste production and produce 20 times more methane in landfills than when they are composted^[11]. Methane is a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in our atmosphere^[12]. For every 1 pound of food waste composted, the equivalent of over ½ pound of CO2 pollution is prevented^[13].

Supporting personal & community well-being

The amount of plant cover and the abundance of birds has been linked to less depression, anxiety, and stress in people dwelling in cities, promoting positive mental health^[14].

Unfortunately the benefits of green space are not always equitably distributed. Disadvantaged communities typically have less parks, less tree canopy cover, and landscaping is often treated as a low priority by local governments and municipalities. Tools like the Tree Equity Score evaluate factors such as existing tree canopy, building density, income, race, language, and health to provide insight into where tree cover and is most needed within cities and communities.

Ocean Friendly Gardens can help create equitable access to connect with nature, supporting people and the environment. By revitalizing non-functional turf grass and conventional landscaping in urban environments, the barriers to participate in nature are lowered and the benefits are more accessible.

Chapters participating in the OFG program often host OFG workdays and free workshops where everyone is welcomed to learn practical gardening and habitat restoration skills they can apply in their communities.

Conclusion

We have the potential to tackle climate change in multiple ways by simply gardening better. To plant a plant and watch it grow through the seasons is a powerful and inspiring source of hope, a reminder that we can positively change our surroundings and be a force of good.

Every rain garden, every pollinator plant, every gallon of pollution prevented with watershed-friendly landscaping makes our coastlines and communities more resilient and adaptable to climate change while while we work toward large scale, long term solutions. Get growing with Ocean Friendly Gardens, and let’s create a greener future together!