5 Ways TurfMutt Makes a Difference

For 15 years, the TurfMutt Foundation has advocated for the care and use of the green space around us. This includes our own backyards, as well as community parks, dog parks, schoolyards and other public areas lush with living landscapes. The Foundation teaches citizens how to help sustain a greener, healthier quality of life.

Here are just a few of the ways TurfMutt’s outreach efforts are making a difference:

• Outdoor Learning: The TurfMutt Foundation has a robust library of educational resources for grades K-8. The lesson plans are free and aligned to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) standards. Check out the TurfMutt Lesson Plan Library here.

• Global Learning: Through its educational resources, the TurfMutt Foundation is on a mission to teach students, teachers and parents how to “save the planet, one yard, park or schoolyard at a time.” The TurfMutt lessons are offered through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Global Learning Lab. TurfMutt has also been an educational partner with the U.S. Department of Education’s Gren Ribbon Schools, the U.S. Department of Energy, the EPA, Green Apple, the Center for Green Schools, the Outdoor Alliance for Kids, the National Energy Education Development (NEED) project, Climate Change Live, Petfinder, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

• National Dog Adoption Event, Mulligan’s Mutt Madness: For six years, the TurfMutt Foundation has hosted its annual national pet adoption event, Mulligan’s Mutt Madness. TurfMutt partners with the Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) every fall at the award-wining trade show, Equip Exposition. Since it started, Mulligan’s Mutt Madness has matched over 70 dogs with their forever homes. Watch this video to learn more about Mulligan’s Mutt Madness at Equip Exposition.

• TurfMutt on TV: The spokesdog of the TurfMutt Foundation, Mulligan the TurfMutt, has been featured on episodes of the Lucky Dog TV show, produced by Hearst Media Production Group (HMPG). Mulligan’s segments help families nationwide learn to better appreciate and care for the outdoor spaces at their homes and in their communities. Check out a recent “Mulligan Minute” here.

• Champion of Green Space: The TurfMutt Foundation recently rededicated the Great Lawn in Louisville’s award-winning Waterfront Park on the Ohio River. The signature space is now known as The TurfMutt Great Lawn. The TurfMutt Great Lawn highlights how managed landscapes enhance a community's well-being and environmental health, and advance outdoor learning and living experiences. Additionally, the Foundation recently sponsored the creation of Mulligan’s Bark Park, an urban dog park in downtown Louisville.

Visit TurfMutt.com to learn more. The TurfMutt Foundation’s International Backyarding Fact Book features the latest global research about the many benefits of green space. Sign up for Mutt Mail, a monthly e-newsletter with backyarding tips and all the news from the TurfMutt Foundation here. Look for Mulligan the TurfMutt on the CBS Lucky Dog television show on Saturday mornings.