In celebration of Earth Day, the Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyers Eco-Challenge has released its latest Green Guidelines, this time with a focus on landscape management. The guidelines promote replacing traditional lawns with natural landscaping and native plants, or implementing measures to reduce pollution and improve soil health when caring for a traditional lawn.

The guidelines are broken down into two major categories, "go natural" and "thoughtful lawn care," with the latter containing suggestions in the areas of mowing, watering, pollution, fertilizers, lighting and soil and planting. Among the tips are limiting lawn watering, preventing runoff, using home-made fertilizers and soil testing.

Legal businesses of all sizes, from large firms to solo practitioners operating out of their homes will be able to use these guidelines to make positive changes toward greener landscaping practices. Legal practitioners can also implement the guidelines at their homes.

The MBA launched the Eco-Challenge in September 2007. Nearly 100 firms, attorneys or organizations have signed the MBA Lawyers Environmental Pledge to join the Eco-Challenge. There are also Pledge Partners outside of traditional law firms and the state of Massachusetts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------