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Lawn maintenance script

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Nate Raiche
Nate Raiche

This document summarizes the history and development of lawns. It discusses how lawns originated in Europe among royalty in the 17th century. The lawn mower and sprinkler were later invented to make lawn maintenance easier. Americans became enamored with European lawns and worked to recreate them, developing new grass varieties and lawn care products. The document then contrasts high-maintenance conventional lawns with more sustainable eco-lawns or xeriscapes, noting the environmental impacts of water use, fertilizers, and pesticides on conventional lawns. It concludes by suggesting ways homeowners can reduce the environmental impact of their lawns.

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Lawn Maintenance By Jake Cirksena Shayna Muller Nate Raiche
INTRODUCTION NARRATOR naps on a lawn, snaps awake NARRATOR I was just laying in my favorite thinking spot the other day when this happened. Narrator gets sprayed by sprinkler or hose NARRATOR (CONT’D) It made me wonder why we take care of our lawns so much? Why do we even have them? Narrator gets covered in grass clippings. ACT 1 Narrator spits grass clippings from his mouth. NARRATOR As I was saying, lawns in the conventional sense originated in Europe. In the 17th century European royalty used lawns to show off their vast amount of fertile land. To make maintaining lawns easier, english inventor Edwin Budding invented the reel lawn mower to replace the sith. Cut to starwars reference/joke. Darth Vader rising up (perhaps have it "reel out" as the narrator corrects himself) NARRATOR (CONT’D) I mean scythe. Cut to image of scythe. NARRATOR (CONT’D) The sprinkler was also invented in this century but was not available to the general public until the mid 20th century. sprinkler NARRATOR (CONT’D) In the 20th century, Americans became infatuated with lawns they (CONTINUED)
2. NARRATOR (CONT’D) saw on their travels to Europe and wanted to emulate them in America. *A new combination of grass was created to withstand the varying climates of North America. Fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides were developed to help protect and maintain it. The American Garden Club set standards for lawn care. Including the length of grass, health of the lawn, and awarded the best kept lawns in the country. *With a vision of an ideal lawn in mind, Americans were provided with vision to pursue thus encouraging Americans to go to extremes to maintain their lawns. ACT 2 - CRAZED NEIGHBOR Shots of him maintaining his lawn. Closeups of ruler measuring grass. Medium closeups of neighbor working his lawn. QUESTIONS: Interview him. Ask: How much time do you spend on your lawn a week? How much money do you spend on your lawn on a normal trip to the store? (maybe ask this) Why do you feel a well maintained lawn is important? How much water do you use when you water? Do you use sprinklers? How often? How often do you mow? What chemicals do you use on your lawn? How often? Why do you maintain your lawn? For use or aesthetics? ACT 3 - AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENTXERISCAPE QUESTIONS: Why did she/he make the switch to an "eco-lawn?" How much money is needed to make the switch? How much time is needed to maintain the eco-lawn?
3. If you use water, how much do you need to water it? Do you think eco-lawns should be required by law? Is that even possible? Was it easy to make the switch from a "normal" grass lawn to your eco-lawn? ACT 4 - THE DARK SIDE - STAY TUNED TO DAVID’S INTERVIEW Here we’re planning to base what we include on the interview with our xeriscaping subject. But here’s a list of some facts we we found that are important. a. 2,650,000 lbs of fertilizer used annually b. Fertilizer runoff i. Nutrients lead to algae buildup depleting the dissolved oxygen content which in turn reduces the amount of fish a water system can sustain ii. Contaminate ground water, increasing levels of nitrate in drinking water to unhealthy levels, causing nervous system impairments, birth defects, cancer, and blue baby syndrome (oxygen content in infants’ blood falls dangerously low, turning them into blue babies, Violet Beauregarde) c. Pesticides i. Kill between 60 and 90% of earth worms (important for soil health) ii. Tracked into homes where they can buildup in carpets and clothes which will cause chronic exposure to families and children iii. Linked to solid tumors, Leukemia, nervous system, birth defect, fetal death, growth retardation d. Energy Use/Waste i. Energy used transporting water can be more than energy used to mow lawns ii. Standard 19 liter per minute sprinkler uses more water in an hour than a combination 10 toilet flushes, two dishwasher loads, two 5 minute showers, and a full load of clothes <--We think this would make for more fun visuals! 1. Why is this amount of water use bad?
4. 2. Why conserve water for lawns a. Save energy, money, environment iii. Process of refueling lawn equipment every summer 1. What would happen if the amount of oil from the Exxon Valdeaz oil spill was spilt every year? a. Well it actually does 2. 17 million gallons of gasoline are spilt every summer = 50% more than Exxon Valdeaz spill ACT 5 - WHAT WE CAN DO INSTEAD! NARRATOR So what can we do? Ideally, we could all have xeriscaped lawns but not everyone has the ability to do that. Here are some simple ways we can reduce our environmental impact with our green space. 1. Allowing grass to grow longer which means more water intake by the grass, less time spent mowing, less pollution from the mower. 2. Consider mowing alternatives like goats...more efficient mowers, low energy mowers, reel mowers = more exercise curing obesity 3. Using natural fertilizers (i.e. composting) and pesticides (certain plants that help keep away certain insects). 4. Using native species of plant/grass that will need less maintainance. 5. Water less, water in the evening to reduce evaporation.

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Lawn maintenance script

  • 2. INTRODUCTION NARRATOR naps on a lawn, snaps awake NARRATOR I was just laying in my favorite thinking spot the other day when this happened. Narrator gets sprayed by sprinkler or hose NARRATOR (CONT’D) It made me wonder why we take care of our lawns so much? Why do we even have them? Narrator gets covered in grass clippings. ACT 1 Narrator spits grass clippings from his mouth. NARRATOR As I was saying, lawns in the conventional sense originated in Europe. In the 17th century European royalty used lawns to show off their vast amount of fertile land. To make maintaining lawns easier, english inventor Edwin Budding invented the reel lawn mower to replace the sith. Cut to starwars reference/joke. Darth Vader rising up (perhaps have it "reel out" as the narrator corrects himself) NARRATOR (CONT’D) I mean scythe. Cut to image of scythe. NARRATOR (CONT’D) The sprinkler was also invented in this century but was not available to the general public until the mid 20th century. sprinkler NARRATOR (CONT’D) In the 20th century, Americans became infatuated with lawns they (CONTINUED)
  • 3. 2. NARRATOR (CONT’D) saw on their travels to Europe and wanted to emulate them in America. *A new combination of grass was created to withstand the varying climates of North America. Fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides were developed to help protect and maintain it. The American Garden Club set standards for lawn care. Including the length of grass, health of the lawn, and awarded the best kept lawns in the country. *With a vision of an ideal lawn in mind, Americans were provided with vision to pursue thus encouraging Americans to go to extremes to maintain their lawns. ACT 2 - CRAZED NEIGHBOR Shots of him maintaining his lawn. Closeups of ruler measuring grass. Medium closeups of neighbor working his lawn. QUESTIONS: Interview him. Ask: How much time do you spend on your lawn a week? How much money do you spend on your lawn on a normal trip to the store? (maybe ask this) Why do you feel a well maintained lawn is important? How much water do you use when you water? Do you use sprinklers? How often? How often do you mow? What chemicals do you use on your lawn? How often? Why do you maintain your lawn? For use or aesthetics? ACT 3 - AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENTXERISCAPE QUESTIONS: Why did she/he make the switch to an "eco-lawn?" How much money is needed to make the switch? How much time is needed to maintain the eco-lawn?
  • 4. 3. If you use water, how much do you need to water it? Do you think eco-lawns should be required by law? Is that even possible? Was it easy to make the switch from a "normal" grass lawn to your eco-lawn? ACT 4 - THE DARK SIDE - STAY TUNED TO DAVID’S INTERVIEW Here we’re planning to base what we include on the interview with our xeriscaping subject. But here’s a list of some facts we we found that are important. a. 2,650,000 lbs of fertilizer used annually b. Fertilizer runoff i. Nutrients lead to algae buildup depleting the dissolved oxygen content which in turn reduces the amount of fish a water system can sustain ii. Contaminate ground water, increasing levels of nitrate in drinking water to unhealthy levels, causing nervous system impairments, birth defects, cancer, and blue baby syndrome (oxygen content in infants’ blood falls dangerously low, turning them into blue babies, Violet Beauregarde) c. Pesticides i. Kill between 60 and 90% of earth worms (important for soil health) ii. Tracked into homes where they can buildup in carpets and clothes which will cause chronic exposure to families and children iii. Linked to solid tumors, Leukemia, nervous system, birth defect, fetal death, growth retardation d. Energy Use/Waste i. Energy used transporting water can be more than energy used to mow lawns ii. Standard 19 liter per minute sprinkler uses more water in an hour than a combination 10 toilet flushes, two dishwasher loads, two 5 minute showers, and a full load of clothes <--We think this would make for more fun visuals! 1. Why is this amount of water use bad?
  • 5. 4. 2. Why conserve water for lawns a. Save energy, money, environment iii. Process of refueling lawn equipment every summer 1. What would happen if the amount of oil from the Exxon Valdeaz oil spill was spilt every year? a. Well it actually does 2. 17 million gallons of gasoline are spilt every summer = 50% more than Exxon Valdeaz spill ACT 5 - WHAT WE CAN DO INSTEAD! NARRATOR So what can we do? Ideally, we could all have xeriscaped lawns but not everyone has the ability to do that. Here are some simple ways we can reduce our environmental impact with our green space. 1. Allowing grass to grow longer which means more water intake by the grass, less time spent mowing, less pollution from the mower. 2. Consider mowing alternatives like goats...more efficient mowers, low energy mowers, reel mowers = more exercise curing obesity 3. Using natural fertilizers (i.e. composting) and pesticides (certain plants that help keep away certain insects). 4. Using native species of plant/grass that will need less maintainance. 5. Water less, water in the evening to reduce evaporation.