Comments on: From lawn addiction to anti-lawn activism

By: Why Lawns are not Sustainable in Conservation Gardening

Why Lawns are not Sustainable in Conservation Gardening — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:45:07 +0000

[...] In order to fully understand sustainability in conservation gardening, it is quite illuminating to look at examples of unsustainable practice. There is no better illustration of this than the American lawn. We have idealized this concept so much that it has become the norm no matter where in the country you live. Suburban developments have regulations specifying lawn height, and I know many people who have discovered the hard way just what breaking those rules means: nasty looks from neighbors, fines from the Owner’s Association, and social ostracization. For a country who prides itself on individuality, it makes no sense that we expect every yard to look exactly the same. (Here’s a great discussion of lawn addiction) [...]

By: Satori Garden Design » Where did all the green carpet come from?

Satori Garden Design » Where did all the green carpet come from? — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:15:16 +0000

[...] Lawns have become such a permanent fixture in our collective psyche that it’s hard to imagine a time when everyone didn’t have their plot of green. We can thank the wealthy, well traveled Americans in the early 1900’s who returned from England with visions of estates with sweeping green lawns. The lawn soon became a status symbol of wealth, for only the wealthy could afford to maintain a plot of grass just for looks not for grazing. If you consider how different our climate is from England’s and the East Coast, for that matter, it’s easy to see how out of place big lawns are in Southern California. Replace your lawn and suddenly fertilizing, de-thatching, aerating, overseeding, mowing, lawn pesticides, grass clippings, constant water, etc… are a thing of the past. If you’re still on the fence about going with a lawn alternative you may want to do the water usage calculations of your current lawn. Imagine the savings in money and resources with less pollution and chemicals to boot! Check out more scarey facts about lawns. [...]

By: Why Lawns are not Sustainable in Conservation Gardening — Conservation Gardening

Why Lawns are not Sustainable in Conservation Gardening — Conservation Gardening — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:31:17 +0000

By: Satori Garden Design » Reaping the benefits of going “low water” in your landscape:

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:50:21 +0000

[...] the past. Imagine the savings in money and resources with less pollution and chemicals to boot! Check out more scarey facts about lawns. This entry was posted on Friday, June 26th, 2009 at 1:50 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You [...]

By: Lobal Wawanolewat

Lobal Wawanolewat — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 03:30:33 +0000

Great blog! I live in lower Ohio, near Lac Erie. I was enlightened a few years back and have since convinced my mother to let nature reclaim our back lawn (afterall, it slopes down into a wooded ravine eventually into a natural marsh). She moved into the house whose previous owner was hellbent on keeping turf–>even way out back where it is muddy half the time.

To us, the seemed futile. We have better things to do in our short lives than to deprive the Great Spirit and all His many animals from dwelling prosperously, naturally. This is especially true since most of us don’t belong where we are right now (in light of the sophistication of the subject, I’ll not undermine the intellects of the readers and go into depth regarding the white man’s invasion and displacement of the autochtones).

Since we retourned the back half of this land on which we reside back into Nature’s hands, we’ve had many more visitors to the yard; 3 kinds of woodpeckers, deer, hogs, many squirrels, turkeys, and countless varieties of birds. In fact, it’s gotten so good that we now call it “Ndawaasnodinawak” or “Our animal bed.” The other day an oak branch fell into the yard, it will be left. The squirrels have already adopted it as a safe-haven. Eagles, Hawks, and other birds also stop on it to rest, keeping just above the now tall grass and tree seedlings.

Anyways, the front lawn will take a while longer to convert as we will likely be criticized by our opposing neighbors. Why do the laws of this ”country” prohibit this type of thing? Why is it so that man keeps nature away from his home but enjoys visiting forests or parks on occasion? Does he not realize that there is beauty everywhere, if he only let the Great Spirit perform His will? At least compromise; you do not have to go back to your Englands or your Germanys, but give some of you lawn back to Tabaldak or adopt more responsible practices.

I am not, however, fully against lawn. Yes, young people enjoy it and to those of us who have kept it or currently do, it does not shine negatively against their character.
*However, it is possibe to play in a wooded lot, in fact, it is much more fun and stimulating. Our plan is to only mow the immediate earth surrounding our home, a strip of but 3 or 4 feet. Afterall, ensuring the maintanance of the actual homestead should be the priority.

It is pleasant to hear these discussions going on, we need to change our ways.

Much as I dislike the general dog and pony show of today’s politics, I must disagree. Gore claims to be an advocate for the environment, but buzzes around the world in his own private jet wasting who knows how much fuel to discuss how “the planet has got a fever.” He, like many, is part of the problem.

“K’pizwi kchi pastoni, nda n’temskez8waw iolil mskikoizal.”

By: Green Buyer’s Guide » Blog Archive » Take Back the Grass!

Green Buyer’s Guide » Blog Archive » Take Back the Grass! — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:30:35 +0000

[...] From Lawn Addiction to Anti-Lawn Activism – Sustainable Gardening Blog, June 23, 2008 [...]