Benefits Calculator

Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) trap heat close to the surface of the Earth, contributing to global warming and climate change. These gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), and others.

Many of these gases occur naturally in our environment, but scientists have measured steady increases in most of these gases (all but water vapor in the list above) since the mid-1700s, when the industrial revolution began. Carbon dioxide, by far the most commonly emitted GHG, is released primarily by burning of fossil fuels (e.g., oil, coal and natural gas).

Because carbon dioxide is the most prominent GHG in the atmosphere, it is commonly used as the metric for measuring GHG emissions. In this case, other greenhouse gases, such as methane, are converted to “equivalent CO₂” or “CO₂-eq”. This approach is useful for standardizing and comparing emissions from different sources and across sectors.

In Sacramento County, like the state and country as a whole, the most common source of GHG emissions is energy use for electrical generation, transportation, and for heating, cooling and lighting in buildings. Energy is also used to treat and deliver potable water to our homes and to heat the water. For this reason, water conservation practices in your home and landscape will help to reduce GHGs and lower your carbon footprint.

River Friendly vs. Conventional Landscapes

River-Friendly Landscaping practices foster soil health, conserve water and other valuable resources, reduce waste, and prevent pollution of our air and waterways. For the purposes of this online calculator, we define the two types as follows.

River Friendly

• The landscaped area is equal to the total area you entered for your landscape.
• Plantings (excluding turf) are either California Natives or other low-water use plants.
• Plantings are irrigated with high-efficiency drip irrigation.
• The landscaped area includes a small lawn of low-water use grass (144 square feet or less) that is watered with fixed sprinklers.
• Twenty-five percent of the plant trimmings are composted on site. The remainder is put into a green waste bin.
• The lawn is mowed with an electric push mower.
• Grass clippings are left to decompose on the lawn after it is mowed, a practice referred to as grasscycling.
• Watering is scheduled using a properly programmed smart irrigation controller that meets the plants’ water requirements, ensuring that the landscape is not overwatered.
• Mulch is applied 3 inches deep in areas planted in shrubs, trees, etc.

Conventional Landscape

• The landscaped area is equal to the total area you entered for your landscape.
• The entire landscape is the equivalent conventional lawn, or high-water use flowers and shrubs.
• The landscaped area is fertilized.
• The landscaped area is irrigated with sprinklers.
• Conservation practices such as grasscycling or composting are not used.
• Mulch is applied 2 inches deep in areas planted in shrubs, trees, etc.