Give your yard some CPR and help protect our most precious resource: wai, or fresh water.

CPR is the acronym the Surfrider Foundation uses to describe the process homeowners should take to achieve “ocean-friendly gardens” through conservation, permeability and retention.

CONSERVATION

Protect the water supply by using less fertilizer or pesticides, thereby reducing runoff of these toxins. If chemical treatments are necessary in your yard, follow directions to minimize the impact. And, don’t let the chemical-laden water flow into the street and down the storm drain, which leads directly to the ocean.

Use less water by xeriscaping with native Hawaiian plants and planting less grass. Lawns require a lot of water and chemicals, especially if you try to make your grass look like a golf course. This is unnatural in Hawaii and requires a lot of time, resources and chemicals.

PERMEABILITY

Make sure your soil drains well, so water doesn’t run off. Prevent soil runoff by covering the ground with plants or mulch. Mulch, composed of cinder, stones or tree chips, can provide ground cover while helping water penetrate the soil, while organic mulches, such as leaves or plant clippings, enhance soil fertility.

A low-maintenance alternative to lawn is gravel. Hawaiian pohaku, or rocks, and cement bricks embedded in the ground called grass pavers, can help create a pretty yard with excellent drainage.

Paving over your entire yard with concrete might seem like a good option, but it creates an impermeable surface and retains heat.

Our goal should be to get water down to plants’ roots and then let gravity slowly pull it farther down to the underground aquifer — a process that takes about 25 years, according to the Board of Water Supply.

RETENTION

Retain water and impede storm runoff by creating a rain garden, a plant-filled depression you can construct in your yard to collect rain water until it can soak into the ground. It can be an attractive focal point in your garden.

WAI VERSUS KAI

Kai, or salt water from the ocean, is another invaluable resource. People who pave over their yards not only threaten freshwater stores, they also compromise the ocean water.

Excessive runoff can introduce soil and chemicals into the ocean and throw off the salt-to-fresh-water balance, killing coral and fish.

Remember, it is illegal to pave over your sidewalk planting strip without a variance or to route your roof gutter into the sewer, both of which can overwhelm sewers and affect the future water supply and the health of the ocean.

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Heidi Leianuenue Bornhorst is a sustainable landscape consultant specializing in native, xeric and edible gardens. Reach her at heidib@hawaii.rr.com.