
In an article at NRDC.org, Mary Talbot makes the case for putting away the lawnmower. She points out that annually in the U.S., "lawns consume nearly 3 trillion gallons of water a year, 200 million gallons of gas (for all that mowing), and 70 million pounds of pesticides."* Pesticides and fertilizers used on lawns are toxic to wildlife locally and in bodies of water contaminated by runoff. Alternatives are becoming more popular: "These no-mow yards fall into four categories: 1) naturalized or unmowed turf grass that is left to grow wild; 2) low-growing turf grasses that require little grooming (most are a blend of fescues); 3) native or naturalized landscapes where turf is replaced with native plants as well as noninvasive, climate-friendly ones that can thrive in local conditions; and 4) yards where edible plants—vegetables and fruit-bearing trees and shrubs—replace a portion of turf."*
*Mary Talbot, September 30, 2016, More Sustainable (and Beautiful) Alternatives to a Grass Lawn,"
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/more-sustainable-and-beautiful-alternatives-grass-lawn?fbclid=IwAR2lnW6evfXJhzfg99qfIPwdgNxkDUAkL7EO_91QZTZ1I4U5JRrBxvWAGTc
Photo by Susan O'Donnell