Lawns – and why I hate them.
Thinking of going green? Lawns may be verdant and beautiful additions to any suburban home, but the environmental impact they have is absolutely astounding. One researcher estimated that if we wanted to keep our lawns in perfect condition, we’d need 200 gallons of water a day per person.
Ohio State University estimates that there are 80 million lawns across the US alone. Think about the gasoline- and electricity-powered lawn mowers that need to be fueled, and the energy it takes to transport and repurpose lawn mulch – if, indeed, it does get repurposed at all. Think about the fertilizer it takes to keep those lawns looking green and well-maintained, and the damage caused by the chemical-laced runoff that can lead to eutrophication of lakes and the death of fish and other aquatic species.
Now, let’s take a step back and look at the European origin of lawns. They originated in a time when most lawnmowers were sheep, and the aristocracy first began growing useful crops like thyme and chamomile. Trends changed, though, and closer cropped grasses grew to be favorable with the ‘in-crowd’ of wealthy aristocrats seeking to beautify their estates while the peasants labored elsewhere, burdened by the terrible yoke of poverty and their imminent mortality. The rich had better things to worry about, namely being richer than their neighbors, or at least keeping up that pretense. Hence, the lawn was born, and with imperialism and colonialism, it spread to America to become the wretched thing it is today – a fading symbol of a time long since gone to dust.
Now, back in the present, let’s think about what the space those 80 million lawns take up could be repurposed for. Wildflower gardens, perhaps, to help our struggling and oh-so-important pollinators. Mini-farms, so families and individuals can grow some of their own fruits and vegetables to be more self-sustaining, and to put less pressure on the global agriculture industry. Herb gardens, so we can spice up our cooking with the bounty of the Mother Earth.
Give me anything, just anything but a lawn. My not-so-personal vendetta against them began years ago, and now that you are similarly enlighted, please, consider taking up the torch and being an advocate for the extermination of lawns everywhere movement.
