It's Time to Get Rid of Your Lawn

By Gabriella Kolodziej

May 27, 2024

The luscious, meticulously manicured green lawn has been an American symbol for decades. Taking a stroll down a suburban neighborhood, you’ll see uniform rows of green. However, this symbol of the American Dream is slowly becoming part of the American Nightmare as the presence of lawns as well as the efforts required to maintain them threaten our environment. It is time for us to take action to replace these green monsters.

According to Theresa Rooney, writing for Do It Green! Minnesota, in an article detailing the history of the lawn, it was during the 1950s in America that the concept of the lawn began to grow in popularity. 

“After the war, returning military personnel claimed their own part of the American dream. The efforts that had been directed toward the war were turned to creating the perfect homes and lawns,” states Rooney.

Since then, the number of houses as well as the number of lawns in America has grown. Yet even from their beginning, the maintenance of lawns has been problematic. In particular, the use of pesticides threatens wildlife and humans. 

Pesticides are chemicals that are used to protect lawns by killing or preventing pests and weeds. However, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, exposure by humans to pesticides has been linked to several medical conditions, such as kidney and thyroid disease, as well as various cancers.

Is having a perfect lawn worth the cost of our health?

Pollution is another issue that has been linked to lawn maintenance. In an article discussing the impact of lawn care on the environment by Jianh Son for Princeton University, Son argues that the use of lawn mowers releases large amounts of pollutants and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 

“To fuel this equipment, it takes about 800 million gallons of gasoline annually, with 17 million additional gallons spilled in the process,” states Son. “EPA data has found that gas-powered lawn mowers make up five percent of total air pollution in the United States, amounting to even more in urban areas.”

Five percent of total air pollution is not a number to scoff at. Alternatives suggested to minimize the negative impact of lawn maintenance include opting for an electric mower, or lengthening the time between mowing.

There have been some environmental benefits associated with grass lawns. However, many of these benefits are often outweighed by the environmental cost of their upkeep.

“While lawns can function as “carbon sinks,” soaking up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, this benefit is often outweighed by the heavy carbon cost associated with the maintenance of these lawns,” writes Son. 

With the problems brought on by climate change, many of us often wonder what changes to our lifestyles we can make to save our planet. The answer can be found in our own backyards. We ought to consider the changes we can make to the very nature of our yards.

Grass is often not a native species to where it is being grown, requiring more investment in time and resources. Recently, there has been a movement in America where people replace their lawns with gardens that nurture local plants. 

“Plants native to a specific region tend to be more robust because they have adapted to the local soil, conditions, and weather patterns. This ultimately reduces time, energy, and money spent on lawn maintenance,” states Rooney.

However, there are still restrictions applied to those who choose to engage in more environmentally friendly lawn care practices. Those who are part of Homeowners Associations can face penalties for not maintaining their lawn. In the city of Albany, homeowners who allow their lawns to grow uncontrolled can be subject to fines. 

It's not right that those who are choosing to do the right thing and protect our environment are penalized for their actions. I would much rather have a green garden filled with native flowers and honeybees than a cookie-cutter lawn that is hurting us and our planet. It is small changes made by individuals that can go a long way in saving our planet.