My hometown’s newspaper just published an opinion piece about the disastrous effects, ecologically and financially, that lawn care causes. Not totally surprising but it’s important to note that this is a retirement community in the bible belt!
Y’all, it’s working! Keep spreading the word!
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My town has been doing the same and there’s even a program where they will come rip out your lawn and replace it with some kind of wood chip stuff. The town’s main water supply is a lake just downhill from our little mountain so they take it pretty seriously. I hate lawn care so I’ve considered it, but haven’t actually taken action on it yet. But I just might. I hate hate hate mowing.
ELI5, why is lawn care/mowing bad? I know monoculture grass is iffy, but why are wood chips better than grass?
Not really sure, something about nitrogen runoff maybe? I don’t really recall, but I have the memory of a goldfish so I could be way off.
Grass takes a lot of water and maintenance to look good. A lot of places are increasingly short on water.
My county metroparks is pushing native plants pretty hard. It’s awesome 😎
I wonder if laziness is going to be what ultimately pushes mass adoption. Most people just don’t want to deal with the maintenance associated with perfect lawns.
@Realtrain
Yes, yes. If you don’t want a field of decapitated, useless plants that don’t even want to grow in your local climate, obviously you’re just lazy. :blobfoxgoogly:
@mercurly
My dad (who keeps putting herbicides on the native yarrow in his yard), just told me he wants to add microclover to his lawn. So the idea is really getting out there!
I don’t quite know where you live, but AFAIK clover is native to Europe, like many lawn grass. I wonder if there are people who know more than me to explain whether clover is better ecological than lawn grass in the U.S.
On the other hand, clover is pretty and low maintainace, so that is obviously a win for the environment. I am just wondering about the ecological impact.
IMO one of the most problematic area for lawns is not really conservative area, like bible belts; but old money area like several super rich neighborhoods in blue (and red states, but good amount of them are in blue).
These people care about social status more than money or really anything else. they are happy to dump all the pollution and spends a shit load of money, just be accepted in their “high-class neighborhood”.
But look on the bright side: when/if the no lawn movement gains momentum those same people will jump on the bandwagon to conform with their neighbors.
Public shame is a much stronger motivator than personal morality. Especially for limousine liberals. Once we get to the point where rich suburbanites replace grass with native plants or xeriscapes to look good for their neighbors, we’ve won.
