May-June-issue

ENVIRONMENT
By Angela Mutiso
ENVIRONMENTAL
BENEFITS OF GRASS
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on
a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the
clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”
- John Lubbock, The Use Of Life
When you wake up in the
morning and see your
granny, auntie, mum
or anyone sweeping
away top soil in the
front yard, you should stop them at once;
because grass is better than the barren
soil. This is a habit that is pretty common
in the village; if only they knew what they
are depriving themselves of.
The advantages of grass are grossly
understated. Yet it plays a crucial role in
conserving the environment, it’s good
for our lawns, our parks, sports grounds
and recreational places. It is food, and in
addition, controls weeds, saves and cleans
water, prevents soil erosion, and is great
for pasture and construction, among
several other things.
Grass is the common name for the
Gramineae family of plants. With more
than 9,000 known species, this family
is one of the largest on Earth, explains
howstuffworks. Under the title, how grass
works, it says simply in defining grass
that grass is extremely important to most
people’s lives, whether they know it or
not. For one thing, grass is a major food
source all over the world. Rice, corn and
oats come from grass plants, for example,
and most livestock animals feed primarily
on grasses. In some parts of the world,
people use grass plants in construction
(bamboo is a grass, for example), and
wherever it grows, grass plays a vital role
in curbing erosion. Grass is also used to
make sugar, liquor, bread and plastics,
among many other things. Grasses have
a very simple structure, and a very simple
way of life. You can better grasp what
grass needs when you understand how it
actually functions in the world. It explains
further that at the base of the grass plant,
roots grow down into the earth. Typically,
grass roots are fibrous, or threadlike. They
extend into the soil like fingers, collecting
nutrients, soaking up water and securing
the plant to the ground.
Another site that guides you brilliantly
on the uses of grass and is closer to home,
is Asepsis Kenya. They have plenty of
information for you regarding the types of
grass in Kenya and East Africa, including
how to choose the right grass for your
location, the right type of soil and what
you should take into account when you
want to plant grass. Asepsis Kenya notes
50 MAY - JUNE 2018