The grass is not always greener

  • By Kyle Valentini
  • March 12, 2013
  • 322
                        
Summary: Americans are addicted to lush green grass lawns that are unfortunately poisoning the water, air and soil when cared for in traditional ways. Try alternatives to grass or use organic methods to care for the ground cover that grows on 32 million acres. A lawn of shortly clipped green grass began with the wealthy British and has come to symbolize the middle class American dream of today. While lovely, a grass lawn is the most unsustainable gardening practice in the nation. For a country that celebrates individuality it is odd how our lawns look exactly the same, green, short, perfect monoculture at its finest. From the moment a grass lawn is planted it is susceptible to disease, insect infestation and invasive species. In order to keep it looking decent an enormous amount of water is needed. Grass lawns are the nation’s largest irrigated crop. We water our lawns more than we water our food crops. Green grass requires huge amounts of chemicals that are deemed safe when used according to directions but when millions of people over use and abuse these chemicals the result is runoff that has penetrated public and private drinking water supplies, caused mass bird and fish kills and is one of the causes of cancers in people and in animals. Humans use ten times more synthetic fertilizer on their lawns than farmers use in agriculture. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates 40-60% of all lawn care products end up in waterways, impairing the ecological health of ponds, lakes, rivers and oceans and contributing to an ever-changing climate. If lawns are so bad why does everyone have one? A $40 billion a year industry that covers more than 32 million acres of land is pretty powerful. Marketing campaigns have convinced us we need a perfect green lawn and some neighborhoods enforce it with penalties for the noncompliant. There are so many other plants that can be planted in place of all or part of a grass lawn. Trees are big and create shade which keeps homes cooler in the hotter months of the year. Bushes like forsythia turn a beautiful yellow each spring and lilacs smell incredible. Flower beds can be filled with perennial favorites that attract wild pollinators and give wildlife a habitat to enjoy. Choose native plants for the best results that will add year-round interest to what used to be a boring green patch of land that required half the weekend to mow and water. Vegetable gardens serve multiple purposes and can be quite lovely when maintained properly. Raised beds or traditional rows can provide food as well as take up space once reserved for grass. Herb gardens that include permeable walking paths and a place to sit for a spell will certainly be more use to a homeowner than a field of manicured green grass that is not even seen in nature. Still bent on low growing green stuff then try sedges. Grass-like in that there are blades sedges can be mowed once or twice a year and come in varieties that are suited for sun or shade and various types of soil. Embrace clover instead of trying to get rid of it. The self-fertilizing plant can tolerate cold temperatures and only needs to be mown a few times a season. Shady yards are perfect for mosses that look lovely and are maintenance-free once established. Slow-growing, it could take many months to get the effect of a green lawn. It is possible to have a grass lawn that is sustainable but it requires organic care that does not include chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Create a demand for organic products and ask your favorite garden center to stock those items. Sure, grass lawns are pretty but the facts are traditional grass lawns are unsustainable unless we change the way we care for them and we lower our expectations about them.


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