“People are wanting a more 'alive-looking' yard with a variety of plants … because it’s a way of thinking about your yard 'as not just being yours, but part of a more beautiful, larger world that we’re trying to create'.” Gardeningetc.com /June,2022

How many of you maintain a lawn? Do you use chemical pesticides to treat your lawn and/or patio to ensure it’s free of even a single weed? Speaking of middle-class families digging themselves deeper into debt, the cost of maintaining a traditional lawn, even if you faithfully mow the grass, weed and plant by yourself, is astronomical. What with the gas or electric lawn mower (or heaven forbid a riding mower!), leaf blowers, edgers, gardening tools, mulch, the fertilizer and lethal pesticide applications and your time and energy, the true costs over the period of years, likely decades that you own a home, could send your children to a prestigious college. And let’s not mention the excessive water use (and higher water bills) typically required for maintaining that lush, verdant look.

It’s a necessity that we finally move on. And as Apple famously encouraged: “Think Different”.

Maintaining a traditional lawn, each person or families’ own little, pristine green space also wreaks havoc on our overall environment. Climate change as manifested in droughts, wildfires and other massive “weather events” our planet is currently experiencing and has yet to imagine, might finally drive the anti-lawn movement (it’s been around for decades) to the forefront.

But you don’t have to completely remove every speck of grass to improve your lawn’s environmental footprint. Here are some interesting articles and a New York Times video to help you think about the lawn issue and possibly transition to something more eco friendly.

— First up is a New York Times opinion piece published this spring, arguing that we each have the power to make change that benefits not just us, but our neighbors and the planet. The suggestion: let’s all switch from gas to electric leaf blowers. And I will add that one might try a good old-fashioned rake.

California is banning the sale of gas leaf blowers and other small gas-powered equipment starting in 2024, citing severe impact on environmental and human health and the imperative to reduce carbon emissions. A few cities, including Washington, D.C., have banned the use of gas leaf blowers entirely.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/15/opinion/climate-change-gas-leaf-blowers.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article

— This article from Gardening etc. provides a variety of ways to transition from a full grass lawn if you’re not ready to go all the way. No mowing required.

Why take years to develop your own wildflower meadow when you can pay to have one laid down for you, like regular grass turf? For a less expensive method, you can also mow down parts of your lawn to preserve walking paths and and plant the remainder with pollinators that both protect and nurture insects and wildlife:

Fancy a wild, grassy area that bursts into color every summer? Then discover how to plant a wildflower meadow the easy way, with a mat of established young plants that are ready to root and thrive. 

https://www.gardeningetc.com/us/advice/alternatives-to-grass

As a former Ohio EPA regulator, you knew I couldn’t possibly talk about yards and gardens without a warning about herbicides and pesticides: There is never a need to use them. Period. There are several organic products that work quite well as fertilizers and to contain “weeds” if you must. I’ve used them for over thirty years and can attest to their effectiveness.

For those of you who haven’t heard about the $11 billion settlement between the tens of thousands of plaintiffs with cancer (primarily non-Hodgkins lymphoma) and the company who makes and continues to advertise Round-Up, a weed-killer that still remains wildly popular, have a look at the latest scientific information and settlements.

Roundup is the most widely used herbicide in the world as a weed-killer. It is used on lawns, gardens, parks, playgrounds, and more. More than $6 billion in revenue is generated every year for its manufacturer, Monsanto. Over 250 million pounds are sprayed each year by this weed and grass killer.

Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not banned the chemical glyphosate, used in Round-up and directly connected to cancer, but the creator and seller of Round-Up, Bayer/Monsanto has agreed to stop selling Round-up containing this herbicide for residential use at the beginning of 2023.

Yes, this source is written by a law firm still promoting its services, but it provides a good amount of accurate data in one place:

https://www.millerandzois.com/roundup-cancer-attorneys.html

And finally for this weekends readings, in this case, a viewing, enjoy my effort to end on a lighter note with this video essay from The Times, aptly titled: “How to Fall Out of Love With Your Lawn”

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/09/opinion/lawns-water-environment.html?campaign_id=39&emc=edit_ty_20220809&instance_id=68825&nl=opinion-today&regi_id=37791042&segment_id=100857&te=1&user_id=50fd655bafac31c03e262ced7c8a769c

What say you about transitioning from a traditional lawn? Do you still use synthetic pesticides and herbicides on your yard, garden and patio? Have you planted native wildflowers and/or “killed” part of your lawn to make way for a more natural, environmentally friendly yard?

Please share your thoughts in the Comment Section below.

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And…

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