Does Your Lawn Really Need to Look Like Astroturf?

My grandfather was named the neighborhood “lawn manicurist.” I don’t think he particularly enjoyed the title. It was a little,um, feminine, for him.

And I don’t think the neighbors particularly enjoyed his lawn. It wasn’t the lawn itself - even though it rivaled Fenway Park’s turf - if he did say so himself. It was the unbridled collection of lawn treatment chemicals he had stockpiled in his shed. I still think my cousin, Henry, is a little off since, at five years old, he tumbled head first into the bin of Scott’s Turf Builder with Bug Control.

“Over a billion pounds of pesticides are sold in the United States annually.” Most inevitably end up in “non-target destinations, such as species, air water, bottom sediments, and food.” They’re one of the major causes of water and soil pollution.

The EPA regularly monitors these chemical levels in our drinking water. Foods such as fish and meats are not monitored, but research studies confirm the presence of varying levels of toxic pesticides in many species.

At the end of this article, I’ve added a list of typical pesticides, and their health effects. The list is taken from a study done at Cornell University for the EPA.

What you can do:

Take a closer look at the fertilizers and pesticides you’re using in your yard. There’s many organic available organic products now that work comparably to more toxic ones. Increasing demand for these products will make them more prevalent, and ultimately bring prices down.

Read. Knowledge is your best defense. There’s a wealth of information on the web, not all of it accurate. Be sure to check your resources. Here a few I’m enjoying this spring:

• GreenScapes - In 2006, the EPA started this website providing practical holistic tips for gardening homeowners.
• National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns - for those who enjoy detail, a great site. There’s a series of links focusing on specific areas of yard care. I particularly enjoyed Lawns We Can Live With, and Read Your Weeds .
• richsoil.com - hilarious, practical, conversational, right to the point.

Pressure any local golf courses in your area to go green. Golf courses account for 30% of all the pesticides sold in this country.

Have any resources or thoughts on the topic you’d like to tell us about?

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