Resource Library
Success StoriesRead about the City of Alameda Housing Authority's renovation of the landscaping at Independence Plaza, a 186-unit affordable housing complex for seniors. Labor- and water-intensive turf and lagoons were replaced with a no-mow landscape featuring California native plants. The changes are saving 1.3 million gallons of water and reducing maintenance costs by $12,000 annually.
Sheet mulching is a simple technique used to remove a lawn without using grass-killing chemicals. Hosting a neighborhood sheet mulch party to remove your lawn makes it even easier. This toolkit will help guide you through the necessary steps for hosting a successful sheet mulch party.
BrochuresThere's a better way to transform your lawn to a water-saving garden.
Click the button above to download the Sheet Mulch It! brochure.
And find more lawn conversion resources here:
ReportsThe book Gardens for San Lorenzo came out of a grant awarded by StopWaste to the San Lorenzo Village Homes Association. The grant funded a landscape architecture class at UC Berkeley, which produced 4 lawn conversion design options, published in Gardens for San Lorenzo. Each design includes a plant list, costs, and options for different lot types. The 72 page book also includes how-to information about sheet mulching and other landscape practices, as well as an illustrated list of plants.
Success StoriesLearn how the City of Pleasanton used sheet mulch to convert a lawn along Main Street to a Bay-Friendly landscape that is saving as much as 384,000 gallons of water annually. Sheet mulching the lawn instead of excavating it kept 16.5 tons of turf out of the landfill. The new no-mow landscape looks great, costs less to maintain, and provides bird and pollinator habitat and other benefits.
The chiropractic values of living holistically align with environmental values, which motivated the Sustainability Council at Life Chiropractic College West located in Hayward to pursue certification through the Alameda County Green Business Program. The Program’s comprehensive framework and hands-on assistance appealed to the Council and made working towards environmental sustainability manageable and concrete.
Lawn to Garden Conversion Mini Grants for Nonprofits provides funding and incentives to convert small lawns (1,000 to 2,500 square feet) into sustainable landscapes at nonprofit facilities located in Alameda County. As people often regularly congregate at community based facilities, projects in these public settings will provide excellent opportunities to promote lawn conversion programs. The grant goal is to lose a lawn, gain a garden and have community members participate in the conversion. Technical assistance, material discounts and grant funding provides support to organization to convert lawn to a sustainable garden.
- Videos
We had a great time at the Livermore Lawn Conversion Party. It was not like any other lawn party - we converted a lawn into a garden using sheet mulch, all in one day!
Success StoriesLearn how the Harbor Bay Median relandscaping project in Alameda used sheet mulch to replace 2.5 acres of conventional grass medians with a Bay-Friendly landscape that enhances the spectacular shoreline setting. Sheet mulching the median turf instead of excavating it kept 221 tons of turf out of the landfill.The new landscape has saved more than 9 million gallons of water in three years.
- Videos
Do the Rot Thing – The Simple Art of Home Composting Award winning video that demonstrates the basic steps and shares simple tips for making home composting fun and easy.