Photo by Christine Muller: Natural lawn at the Baha’i House of Worship in Germany, 2014
by Christine Muller
Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that
the defenses of peace must be constructed.
Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
In recent decades, it has become fashionable to have a lawn in which nothing else grows other than one species of grass. Fortunately, the tides are turning, and many people are becoming aware of the numerous harmful impacts of mono-culture lawns.
The first concern is human health. People are regularly exposed to many toxic chemicals present in the air, water, and food. It is not surprising that cancer is so widespread. Lawn chemicals contribute to this toxic load, and children are especially at risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics reported: “Epidemiologic evidence demonstrates associations between early life exposure to pesticides and pediatric cancers, decreased cognitive function, and behavioral problems.”
In addition to serious human health concerns, the environmental harm of lawn chemicals cannot be overestimated:
They significantly contribute to the loss of native plants and animals, especially of insects. Bees, bumblebees, and butterflies have been disappearing at an alarming rate. This is not only sad because we miss them, but their loss also affects agriculture that depends on pollination, and it threatens the foundation of natural systems that sustain all life.
- The extraction of fossil fuels to produce chemical fertilizers harms the environment in several ways. And the nitrogen (N2) in the fertilizers is a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to the Earth’s warming.
- The runoff of fertilizers harms aquatic life and contributes to local water pollution and to the growth of toxic algae blooms and “dead zones” in the oceans.
- Mono-culture lawns require much more water.
You may have noticed that many mono-culture lawns that are regularly treated with toxic chemicals have bare brown spots where nothing is growing. Humans cannot win a war against nature. Why not live in harmony with nature and stop the killing of native plants and insects? How about embracing the beauty of diversity? The more diverse an ecosystem is, the more resilient it is against disturbances such as a drought. Moreover, clover, native grasses and wildflowers are beautiful, make your lawn more resilient and much easier and less expensive to maintain!
Natural lawns are great and safe for children to play on and for pets to run around. These areas of lawn will need to be cut. It is best for the environment to use an electric lawn mower.
When you reduce the size of your lawn, you don’t have to mow much. How about adding a vegetable garden, or perhaps just an herb garden, some berry bushes, or native plants such as milkweed that are essential for Monarch butterflies?
