(ARA) - As more and more land in the United States is developed, our appreciation for well-managed and maintained green spaces is growing. The term "green spaces" encompasses elements of the landscape from home and commercial lawns to golf courses, parks and sports turf. And one national non-profit alliance -- Project EverGreen -- is embarking on a mission to raise awareness of the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of preserving and enhancing green space in the U.S.

Green spaces have special benefits for each and every American:

1. Cooling: Eight average front lawns have the cooling effect of 70 tons of air conditioning. As overwatering is a much bigger problem than underwatering, automatic irrigation systems, where possible, should be considered for the most efficient watering rates.

2. Cleaning: Properly maintained shrubs, plants and lawns are environmental heroes. Because of their filtering capability, plantings prevent soil erosion, filter contaminants from rainwater and absorb dust and soot.

3. Saving Money: Planting shade trees lowers attic temperatures by as much as 40 degrees and landscaping aids in reducing air conditioning costs by up to 50 percent.

4. Increasing Home Value: Not only can a well-maintained landscape add up to 15 percent to a property's value, when selling a home, landscaping can speed the sale by as much as six weeks.

5. Reducing Noise: Landscaping can reduce noise by up to 50 percent.

6. Healing: Horticulture is therapeutic and improves quality of life. Studies illustrate that hospital patients whose rooms overlook landscapes recover faster and require less pain medication than patients without a view of nature.

7. Increasing Air Quality: A tree removes carbon dioxide from the air and releases enough oxygen for a family of four to breathe for a day.

Project EverGreen is the first organization to make a concerted effort to connect with consumers about the importance of maintaining green spaces. As stewards of the environment, lawn and landscape suppliers from every facet of the business and local companies who provide these types of services to consumers in local communities are reaching out to Americans in this campaign.

For more information about Project EverGreen, visit www.projectevergreen.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content