Running Head: Introduction to Environmental Science: Investigation 2

Introduction to Environmental Science:

Investigation 2
U49701984
University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee

Introduction to Environmental Science: Investigation 2

I believe that most people generally care about the environment. Some people do more to
protect it, while others seem to be unconcerned, as though it has no effect on their life so it isnt
their problem. There could be many reasons that some people look away, but one reason could
be that they feel a lack of incentive to do more. They may feel that any contribution they could
offer would be so small compared to the big picture that they prefer not to waste their time due
to the lack of return on their investment of time and effort. Showing these reluctant people a
personal incentive to do more to protect the environment could be a powerful method of
increasing the initiative of being more environmentally friendly. As countless as these types of
incentives could be, I will focus on one; how environmentally friendly landscaping to residential
properties can help the environment, increase property value, and reduce utility costs all at the
same time.
It should be safe to assume that most homeowners would be enthusiastic about raising the
value of their property, especially if they plan on selling in the future. According to Niemiera
(2009), The change in value (from no landscape to well-landscaped) ranged from 5.5 percent
(Louisiana) to 11.4 percent (South Carolina). The increase in home value from the least valued
landscape to the most valued landscape in the Michigan study was 12.7 percent (p. 2). Given
that property values vary significantly between the states, and even more so depending on
location within each city and state, I will use a rounded average percent increase of 9% for an
example. If a house with the initial value of $250,000 with no landscaping, had been updated to
well-landscaped, then the property value would increase to approximately $272,500. Henry
(2000) stated, As landscaping quality improves from average to good, expected price increase
by about 4% to 5% for otherwise comparable homes. Another likely choice is whether or not to
upgrade the landscaping from good to excellent. In this case, once a lot is already rated good,

Introduction to Environmental Science: Investigation 2

further upgrading results in an expected return of about 6% to 7% to home price (p. 29). A
further upgrade to the property previously discussed, bringing the landscape to excellent could
bring the property value to approximately $288,750.
Landscaping isnt something a homeowner should only consider when wanting to
increase their property value for selling. According to Home & Gardening Television (2016), If
you aren't planning to sell your house today, plan for the future with a landscaping improvement
that will mature over time. Plant shade trees not only will mature trees make your home more
desirable but a fully grown, properly placed tree can cut your cooling costs by as much as 40
percent. Mature landscaping is also good for the environment, providing a necessary habitat for
wildlife while adding valuable curb appeal to your home (hgtv.com). If shade trees are properly
placed to that same $250,000 house and annual cooling costs are $500 before the added
landscape, with a reduction in cooling costs of 40%, there would be a new annual cooling cost of
$300. If the homeowner kept the house for 20 years before selling, that would be a total 20-year
savings of $4,000. This is an example of a return on the homeowners investment in addition to
the added property value. So far the homeowner has added $38,750 in value and saved $4,000.
This is an enormous incentive for homeowners to do something that will be good for the
environment, even if they dont seem to care about it. The homeowner benefits financially and
gets to enjoy a more beautiful home. The environment reaps in the benefits as well, if done
correctly.
Helfand, Park, Nassauer, and Kosek (2005) stated, Currently, residential yards are
primarily turf lawn. Lawns can contribute to environmental problems, including high fossil
energy use, high chemical input use (such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers), health
problems related to those chemicals, solid waste, high water usage, water pollution, and

Introduction to Environmental Science: Investigation 2

decreased biodiversity. Alternative yard designs using native plants may require less external
inputs and support more biodiversity (p. 229-230). In order to provide a positive effect onto the
environment from adding landscaping to a residential property, careful choice of the plants used
should be used. Withgott and Laposata (2014) stated, Introduced species may become invasive
when limiting factors that regulate their population are absentAs the species proliferates, it
may exert diverse influences on other community members (p. 88). According to Landscape for
Life (2016), If you grow plants native to your region, you help keep invasive species from
spreading. preserve the regions natural character, and protect the complex interrelationships
between native plants and the insects, birds, and myriad other creatures with which they have coevolved (landscapeforlife.org). The species of plants in the landscaping should get along well
with the other local plant life and insects. According to Stack, Drummond, and Dibble (2016),
Bee-friendly landscapes are places where bees can forage, build nests, and rear their young.
When they forage for nectar and pollen, they help plants produce seeds and fruits for
reproduction. We benefit from this when we eat apples, blueberries, cucumbers, cranberries,
pumpkins, squashes and other crops that depend on bees for pollinationBees are weakened or
killed by chemical applications, especially insecticides. Herbicides and fungicides also weaken
bees. Identify problems early, and treat them in alternative ways to avoid the need for these
chemicals (umaine.edu).
Reducing water usage is another way that the homeowner can both benefit from proper
landscaping as well as help the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency
(2013), Of the estimated 29 billion gallons of water used daily by households in the United
States, more than 8.5 billion, or 30 percent, is devoted to outdoor water use. In dry climates, a
households outdoor water use can be as high as 60 percent. The majority of this is used for

Introduction to Environmental Science: Investigation 2

landscaping. In fact, it is estimated that the average American home consumes 58,000 gallons of
water outdoors each year, mostly for irrigationGo native or choose plants that need less water.
Once established, native and low water-using plants require little water beyond normal rainfall
(epa.gov). The cost of water varies across the United States. Lets assume that the homeowners
choice of plant species in the landscape requires no additional watering beyond what they receive
from rainfall. There could potentially be hundreds of dollars saved from watering costs of
indigenous over nonindigenous species annually. The amount of annual savings would depend
on factors such as size of landscape, the amount of watering that is needed beyond rainfall, and
the price of water in a specific area. For this example, lets assume there is an annual savings of
$250 in water usage. Over the course of 20 years, before the homeowner decides to sell, the
savings adds up to approximately $5,000. This also gives back to the environment by reducing
the use of water by hundreds of thousands of gallons over that same time period.
There are incentives to being more environmentally friendly that homeowners should
know about. Landscaping can add curb appeal, provide financial gains to the homeowner, and
help the environment, if done right. The example in this investigation was a home with an
original value of $250,000. The homeowner added $38,750 in value and, over the course of 20
years, saved $4,000 in cooling costs and $5,000 in water usage. Environmentally friendly
landscaping to residential properties can help the environment, increase property value, and
reduce utility costs, all at the same time.

Works Cited:

Introduction to Environmental Science: Investigation 2

Home & Garden Television. (2016). 30 tips for increasing your homes value. Retrieved from
http://www.hgtv.com/remodel/interior-remodel/30-tips-for-increasing-yourhomes-value
Helfand, G. E., Park, S. J., Nassauer, J. I., & Kosek, S. (2005). The economics of native plants in
residential landscape designs. Landscape and Urban Planning. 78. 229-240. Retrieved
from http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.lib.usf.edu/science/article/pii/S01692046050
0112X
Niemiera, A. X. (2009). The effect of landscape plants on perceived home value. Virginia
Cooperative Extension. 426-087. 1-3. Retrieved from https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle
/10919/49769
Henry, M.S. (1999). Landscape quality and the price of a single family houses: further evidence
from home sales in Greenville, South Carolina. Journal of Environmental Horticulture.
17. 25-30. Retrieved from http://www.actrees.org/files/Research/landscaping_house_pric
es.pdf
Withgott, J., Laposata, M. (2014). Environment: the science behind the stories (5th ed.).
Glenview, IL: Pearson Education, Inc.
Landscape for Life. (2016). Avoid invasive species. Retrieved from http://landscapeforlife.org/
plants/avoid-invasive-species/
Stack, L. B., Drummond, F., & Dibble, A. C. (2016). Ecology how to create a bee-friendly
landscape. Retrieved from https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/master-gardeners/
manual/ecology/how-to-create-a-bee-friendly-landscape/

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Environmental Protection Agency. (2013). Water-smart landscapes. Retrieved from https://www

3.epa.gov/watersense/docs/water-efficient_landscaping_508.pdf