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Extreme? No, the American lawn fetish isn't really that old. Blame it on Frederick Law Olmstead, the creator of NYC's Central Park. He is in part responsible for the Chicago suburb of Riverside based on a plan he co-created in 1869. There was a lot more involved, and if one is interested a moderately thorough historical summery is here (https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/anthropology-in-practice/the-american-obsession-with-lawns/ ). That article contains two noteworthy bits of information:
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As of 2005, lawns covered an estimated 63,000 square miles of America. That's about the size of Texas. It's the most grown crop in the United States--and it's not one that anyone can eat; it's primary purpose is to make us look and feel good about ourselves.and
The sheer volume of resources required to keep lawns alive is staggering. And seems particularly wasteful in consideration of drought plagued places, like California. The significance of lawns persisted in the west for a long time, and was aided by water management technologies that helped transform arid landscapes into lush ones. But that is changing as well, perhaps in part due to the awareness made possible by social media. Lawns require the equivalent of 200 gallons of drinking water per person per day. Californians, who are acutely aware of this wastage, have taken to shaming (#droughtshame) neighbors who persist in watering their lawns.-
Since this sort of started with Chicago, lets see what the Chicago Trib has to say about lawns nowadays( https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-lawns-20171002-story.html )
According to NASA, there are 40 million acres of turf grass in the United States — lawn, in a sense, is our largest crop. Individually we spend, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70 hours a year mowing our lawns; and as a nation, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, we pour 9 billion gallons of water daily on those lawns. .leading to -
So, a modest proposal:Since we're already questioning the foundations of our nation, toppling monuments to institutions that no longer work for many, how about rethinking another cultural icon?
The front lawn.
After all, your front lawn is not an inevitability. It's a work of art — an antiquated design aesthetic, a handed-down invention, one we stopped noticing ages ago yet remain coerced by property codes to maintain.
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The lawn, especially the "perfect lawn" is a boring, sterile, eyesore, a waste of land, time, and resources. If the kids play ball or frisbee or have a croquet court or just play with the dog out there, then it has some redeeming value, but such lawns are horribly, terribly rare, most are simply a wasteland. Then, on top of that, they're generally bad for the environment too, if only due to their sterile homogeneity and all the chemicals needed to preserve it. Though it generally lumps herbicides in with pesticides, the fact sheet at the following link contains a lot of information in a very short space, especially as to health and exposure risks: (https://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/lawn/factsheets/LAWNFACTS&FIGURES_8_05.pdf) It also provides some quantification:
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Herbicides account for the highest usage of pesticides in the home and garden sector with over 90 million pounds applied on lawns and gardens per year.iiSuburban lawns and gardens receive more pesticide applications per acre (3.2-9.8 lbs) than agriculture (2.7 lbs per acre on average)
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In 2015, Americans spent $29.1 billion on lawn care. There may be more lawn than the top eight irrigated crops in the US combined.They also devote a lot of time to/waste a lot of time on them and front lawns are rarely used for anything, most folks live out in the back yard. ( https://medium.com/@emilyellsworth/you-should-kill-your-lawn-158e8d0fcb05 )
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Why do we love our lawns when they don’t love us back? We pay a gardener or mow every week. We weed, edge, and blow. We aerate and add chemicals that pollute our waterways. And still, our lawns need more—often a lot more.What’s more, a tremendous amount potable water is used to irrigate our landscapes. And because grass and the soil under it are often severely compacted, many lawns act like a paved surface that water just runs off. Even under the best conditions, our lawns' root systems are very shallow. Plants with deeper root systems allow for healthier soil. The healthier our soil, the more water it can absorb, so there's less runoff.
most of what follows is a how to but contains the following water info:
Having a grassy field around your home seems harmless. But a 1,000-square-foot lawn with a typical irrigation system will use 25,000 gallons of water a year. Replace it with low-water plants, and you’re down to 6,000 gallons.( https://www.good.is/articles/why-killing-your-lawn-is-a-good-idea-and-how-to-do-it )
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Another how to, arguably not much new information not in the above ( https://www.jainsusa.com/blog/4-ways-to-kill-your-lawn )
A ton on what to do instead and how from a California perspective ( https://californianativeplants.com/resources/kill-your-lawn/ )
Environmental effects of 30 commonly used lawn care pesticides ( https://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/lawn/factsheets/30enviro.pdf )
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More on why:
The average American household uses 320 gallons of water a day, of which about 30% is used for watering lawns and gardens (35,040 gallons annually). Of that 30%, as much as 50% is wasted due to evaporation, wind, or runoff (17,520 gallons annually) 1. Picture lawn sprinklers watering the street or running in 100° weather. In a dry climate, water usage increases and outdoor irrigation can reach 50-70% of total household water use 2.plus lawn equipment generates 5% of our air pollution, and ...
Each year, Americans put over 70 million pounds of pesticides (insecticides and herbicides) on our lawns to kill bugs and weeds 4. As with fertilizer, residue runs off lawns and contaminates water sources. We contribute extra pollution by rinsing out containers in our driveways and pouring excess or unused pesticides down the drain or street.I am leery of any product designed to kill something. Chances are it will have unintended consequences. Of the 30 commonly used lawn pesticides, many are probable or possible carcinogens and are linked to a myriad of health problems such as birth defects, neurotoxicity, liver and kidney damage, and endocrine system disruption 5.
( https://greengroundswell.com/the-american-lawn-environmental-impact-of-turf-grass/2013/07/25/ )
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A quick read tellingly entitled How Fertilizers Harm Earth More Than Help Your Lawn ( https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-fertilizers-harm-earth/ )
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Without citation I suggest that they are a major source of noise pollution, all the gas powered lawn maintenance equipment, mowers, trimmers, edgers and leaf blowers. Leaf blowers, for fsm's sake, to blow all the damn lawn clippings down into the gutter where they are not only unsightly litter, but pollution. Unbelievable.
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This is a lawn. Though not really a perfect lawn, nonetheless, notice all of the subtle detail, the interplay of all of the varied textures and hues, the manner in which the different elements interact, contrast and yet compliment each other, the awe inspiring homogeneity and sameness and the clippings left behind by the lawn care company. Just think, if it were yours you could be out there mowing and watering even as I write this. Isn't it wonderful that we can afford to dedicate time, money, water, ton upon ton or herbicides and all that land to these sterile patches of boring sameness? See all the birds? Of course or, there's nothing there for them to eat, nowhere safe to roost, rest or nest. See all the butterflies and bees? Ditto. See the majestic landscaped gardens of Lord whomever's Chateau whatever? No, not even a cheap imitation, sorry.
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OK, so free yourself, tear it out, dig it up, or whatever. Replace it with native bushes and shrubbery, wild flowers (aka weeds) and wild native bunch grasses (aka weeds), maybe some trees, and xeriscape to the extent warranted. Plant a butterfly garden, an herb garden, a vegetable garden, or all of the above. It doesn't matter and there are tons of places to get suggestions and advice, but the main thing is, immediately, kill your lawn. Then replace it with something earth and environment friendly, something people, pet, and pollinator friendly too. You will thank yourself and, except for those who feed from your wallet off of your lawn addiction, the world will thank you. It is something we can actually do, now, often unassisted and at our own pace that will make a real difference on an individual basis, and a big difference on a mass basis, so just do it.
-This is pretty disjointed and chaotic, but, nonetheless, please consider it to be a public service announcement. Kill your lawn(s) because they are killing us and our environment, our planet, our ecosystems, our leisure, our peace and quiet, our sanity and ever so much more
-Image is from page 74 of "Bolgiano's capitol city seeds" (1953)
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Its an open thread so have at it. The floor is yours .
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Cross posted from caucus99percent.com