Simple solutions allow private citizens to tackle complex problems that may appear overwhelming at first glance. This is true, once again, with the conundrum of typical suburban lawns versus shrinking natural habitat.

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A bold challenge

Professor Doug Tallamy, who helps lead the charge for restoring ecosystems with native plants that support insects and wildlife is back with a new challenge: Reduce lawn sizes by 50%. This clear action, proposed by Tallamy during a Connecticut appearance in January, 2019, is likely a foretaste of many ideas in his forthcoming book titled “Nature’s Best Hope.” The book is described as a “blueprint” for private homeowners and citizens offering “practical, effective, and easy…suggestions you can incorporate into your own yard.”

 

Yet, how many of us are ready to cut lawn sizes by half? Here are a few facts which may compel us to act: 

• Conservative estimates report “there are three times more acres of lawns in the U.S. than irrigated corn”—a land area equivalent to the Northeastern United States.

• Lawns—including residential and commercial lawns, golf courses, etc.—could be considered the single largest irrigated crop in America in terms of surface area

• According to www.beyondpesticides.org, “Suburban lawns and gardens receive more pesticide applications per acre (3.2-9.8 lbs) than agriculture (2.7 lbs per acre on average).”

• “The US EPA estimates that 17 million gallons of gasoline are spilled each year from re-fueling lawn mowers alone; over 50% more than the amount spilled by the Exxon Valdez.” Estimates related to handheld equipment refueling add several million more gallons of spillage annually.

• Land care equipment produces more than 20 million tons of carbon dioxide, one of the major greenhouse gases contributing to climate change.

• Summer water use in the Northeast United States as much as doubles in some locales, likely due to the increasing prevalence of lawn irrigation systems. Ironically, a sloping lawn, which is the case in most neighborhoods, absorbs as little as 15% of surface water. The rest runs off, hence lawns have earned the dubious nickname “green concrete.”

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