Re: FWD: OPEI says, Urban Turf Study Found To Have Major Computation Error

**S* H* <s*@saxonholt.com>**

I don't think this list should be a verbatim repository of Press  
Releases from any organization.  The information in this release from  
the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute is indeed provocative and  
deserves consideration, but the posting of the entire language gives  
it more credibility than it deserves.

Is anyone surprised that the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute would  
look for a way to discredit a Study that blasts lawns and lawnmowers ?

I am way too vested in this entire concern than to begin a true rant,  
(read "The American Meadow Garden" <g> ) and I am indeed glad to know  
about the issue OPEI has raised, but in the future hope listmates here  
might provide a link to such PR releases with some comment about it,  
rather than simply attaching the whole release.

Saxon

Saxon Holt Photography
- http://www.saxonholt.com
415-898-8880
---------------------------------------------------------
Advisory Committee, Stock Artists Alliance
- http://www.stockartistsalliance.org
Member - ASMP, ASPP, GWA

>
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:27:12 -0600
> From: Carolyn Ulrich <cultivated@sbcglobal.net>
> Subject: [GWL] FW: OPEI says, Urban Turf Study Found To Have Major
> 	Computation Error
> To: Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum
> 	<gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <C79EC3F0.3C7F%cultivated@sbcglobal.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="ISO-8859-1"
>
> This just came in today. Probably a number of you also received it.
> Thoughts?
> Carolyn Ulrich
>
>
>
> ------ Forwarded Message
> From: Caroline March-Long <cdlong@earthlink.net>
> Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:41:02 -0500
> To: <carolyn@chicagolandgardening.com>
> Subject: OPEI says, Urban Turf Study Found To Have Major Computation  
> Error
>
>
> Recently released urban turf study had major computation error ? new
> correction reinforces turfgrass as net sequester of carbon.
>
> Outdoor Power Equipment Institute Seeks Correction and Public  
> Disclosure of
> Significant Computation Error in AGU and UC-Irvine?s Recently  
> Released Urban
> Turf Report; Correction Shows Turfgrass is a Positive Sequester of  
> Carbon
>
> Alexandria, VA ? February 15, 2010 ? The Outdoor Power Equipment  
> Institute
> <http://www.opei.org>  (OPEI) today announced that Dr. Amy Townsend- 
> Small of
> University of California ? Irvine (UC ? Irvine) acknowledged a  
> computation
> error of carbon used to maintain turf in the recently released UC- 
> Irvine
> study published January 19, 2010, titled ?Carbon Sequestration and
> Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Urban Turf.?  With the error corrected,
> ornamental grass is in fact shown to be a net sequester of carbon  
> even when
> inputs are accounted for in grass maintenance.  The correction has  
> been
> submitted to the American Geophysical Union (AGU) who published the  
> paper.
>
> Upon review of the report, various flaws were discovered, including  
> one
> significant math error that was made in computing the carbon  
> consumed during
> mowing.  The carbon from fuel consumption was multiplied by 12, one  
> too many
> times, to convert from monthly to annual data.  The error was not  
> caught
> during the peer review process prior to publication of the paper by  
> the AGU.
> When the computation is corrected, turfgrass actually is a net  
> sequesterer
> of carbon dioxide, reversing the conclusions of the original report  
> that was
> widely reported in the media.
>
> ?Blaming grass for contributing to global warming is a non-starter  
> when you
> look at the facts.  The grass in your backyard is working hard to  
> keep us
> cool, soak up carbon, capture particulates, produce oxygen, capture  
> rain
> water and reduce run-off.  We need to focus on the right plant in  
> the right
> place and on management practices that maximize the environmental  
> benefits
> potential of turfgrass,? said Kris Kiser, Executive Vice President  
> of OPEI.
>
> Kiser added that, ?While the UC-Irvine study, rightly so, highlights  
> that
> mismanagement of turfgrass can occur via excessive fertilization and
> irrigation, and inefficient maintenance practices, the focus should  
> be on
> proper management techniques.? OPEI stressed that proper management
> techniques can minimize carbon emissions and maximize the benefits  
> of carbon
> sequestration in turfgrass; for example, proper selection of turf  
> based on
> climatic region (drought resistant species) and leaving grass  
> clippings on
> the grass to serve as a natural nitrogen fertilizer.
>
> OPEI also noted that the UC-Irvine study did not acknowledge the  
> dramatic
> reductions of emissions and fuel use profile for today?s gasoline  
> and diesel
> equipment, nor did the study disclose what model equipment and  
> corresponding
> fuel use numbers were used.
> Mowers and outdoor power equipment today are the cleanest in history  
> and
> fully regulated by the U.S. EPA and California?s Air Resources Board  
> since
> 1997.  EPA Phase 3 and CA Tier 3 compliant product are 90 percent  
> cleaner
> than pre 1997 models. Coupled with improvements in emissions, there  
> have
> been substantial improvements in mower fuel efficiency.  Additionally,
> outdoor power equipment manufacturers have introduced a number of  
> electric,
> battery, biodiesel, gasoline-electric and diesel-electric hybrids,  
> propane,
> CNG, solar and other alternative fueled products with corresponding
> reductions  in carbon output.
> Other issues found with the UC-Irvine urban turf study:
> ?        The paper uses a technique (passive flux chambers) that is  
> often
> inaccurate in measuring surface flux because it is not clear that  
> what is
> being measured is at equilibrium.
>
> ?        The UC-Irvine study focused on one urban center in Southern
> California.  Management techniques across the country are variable and
> therefore, can?t be applied broadly. Future studies should look at  
> sites in
> other parts of the country.
>
> ?        The UC-Irvine study did not measure actual inputs of water  
> and
> nutrition but made estimates based upon standards or agriculture  
> averages.
> Future studies should measure actual inputs or use the best available
> technology to estimate inputs of water and fertilization.
>
> To learn more about the carbon sequestration benefits of turfgrass,  
> see the
> paper, Technical Assessment of the Carbon Sequestration Potential of  
> Managed
> Turfgrass in the United States
> <http://www.opei.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/1438>  by Dr. Ron Sahu.
>
> About the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
> OPEI is an international trade association representing the $15  
> billion
> landscape, forestry, utility and lawn and garden equipment  
> manufacturing
> industry. OPEI is a recognized Standards Development Organization  
> for the
> American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and active  
> internationally
> through the International Standards Organization (ISO) in the  
> development of
> safety standards. Founded in 1952, OPEI represents and promotes the  
> outdoor
> power equipment industry before federal, state and international  
> legislative
> and regulatory bodies. For more information on OPEI, visit  
> www.OPEI.org
> <http://www.OPEI.org> .
>
>
> ##
>
> Kris Kiser
> Executive Vice President
> Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
> (703) 549-7600
> KKiser@OPEI.org
>
>

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