HORROR STORIES or LAWN-RELATED STATISTICS

HORROR STORIES or LAWN-RELATED STATISTICS

Just statistics -- nothing more, nothing less! And no one will be able to tell you you are making any of this up! Every single fact or statement is documented -- the numbers at the end of each paragraph refering to the source reference(s), given after each page as pages would print.

I. Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fertilizer

Each year in the US, over 70 MILLION TONS of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used on residential lawns and gardens. [2]

The average homeowner uses approximately 10 times the amount of chemical pesticides per acre as farmers. [3]

Lawn-care pesticides kill approximately 7 million birds in the US each year. [4]

Pesticides kill between 60 and 90% of earthworms (which are important for soil health) where they are used. [1]

Pesticides can be tracked into homes, where they can build up in carpets, clothing and other material, putting families, especially children, at risk of chronic exposure. [5-6]

“Pesticides have been linked to solid tumors (including brain cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer and pancreatic cancer, among others), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia, effects on the nervous system, birth defects, fetal death and intrauterine growth retardation.” [7]

A study of the United States major streams and rivers revealed that 96% of fish contained detectable levels of at least one pesticide. [8]

When fertilizers runoff into water systems, the nutrients lead to algae buildup, depleting the dissolved oxygen content, which in turn reduces the amount of fish a system can sustain. [9]

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1 National Wildlife Federation. Available online at
2 Ibid.
3 Templeton, S.R., Zilberman, D., Yoo, S.J. (1998). “An Economic Perspective on Outdoor Residential Pesticide Use”, Environmental Science and Technology 32, 421A.
4 Pimentel, D. (2004). Quoted in Steinberg’s (2006) American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn.
5 Wargo, J. (1996). Our Children’s Toxic Legacy: How Science and Law Fail to Protect Us from Pesticides. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.
6 Nishioka, M.G. et al. (2001). Distribution of 2,4-D in Air and on Surfaces Inside Residences after Lawn Applications: Comparing Exposure Estimates from Various Media for Young Children”, Environmental Health Perspectives, 109.
7 Ontario College of Family Physicians. (2004). Pesticides Literature Review. Available online at
8 Gilliom, R. (U.S. Geological Survey). (1999). (1999). Pesticides in the Nation’s Water Resources. Water Environment Federation Briefing Series Presentation.
9 Bormann, F.H., Balmori, D., Geballe, G.T. (2001). Redesigning the American Lawn: A Search for Environmental Harmony. (2nd ed.). Connecticut: Yale University Press.
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Fertilizers can also contaminate groundwater, increasing the levels of nitrate in drinking water to unhealthy levels. “High levels of nitrate in drinking water can cause nervous system impairments, birth defects, cancer, and "blue baby syndrome," in which the oxygen content in an infant's blood falls to dangerous levels.” [10]

II. Water

“A standard 19L/minute lawn sprinkler uses more water in an hour than a combination of 10 toilet flushes, two dishwasher loads, two 5-minute showers and a full load of clothes.” [11]

The energy used to transport water to lawns can be even higher than the energy used to mow lawns. [12]

In the US, lawn-watering accounts for approximately 30% of residential water consumption along the east coast and up to 60% of consumption along the west coast. [13]

III. Land and Conservation

Approximately 25 to 40 million acres of land have been converted to lawn in the US alone. [14]

Each year, over 382,850 acres of land are converted to lawns in North America. [15]

Approximately 80% of US households have a lawn. [16]

Turf grass covers over 27.5 million acres in the US, of which 21 million is private lawns. [17]

Lawns generally consist of 1 to 3 species of grass, whereas a single garden can contain over 1000 species of plants. [18]

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10 Weyer, P. (2001) Nitrate in Drinking Water and Human Health. Avilable Online at and Bowman, D.C., Cherney, C.T., Rufth, T.W.Jr. (2002). “Fate and Transport of Nitrogen Applied to Six Warm-Season Turfgrasses”, Crop Science, 42:833.
11 Environment Canada. (2006). Freshwater Website: Quick Facts. Available online at
12 City of Irvine, Community Development Department. (1991). Sustainable Landscaping Guideline Manual, 1991 Draft.
13 National Wildlife Federation. “Cut Your Lawn-In Half.” Available online at
14 Robbins, P., Birkenholtz, T. (2003).“Turfgrass Revolution: Measuring the Expansion of the American Lawn”, Land Use Policy 20:182.
15 Ibid.
16 Borman, F.H., Bamori, D., & Geballe, G.T. (2001). Redesigning the American lawn: A search for environmental harmony. (2nd ed.). Connecticut: Yale University Press.
17 Ibid.
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Lawns not only contribute to loss of habitat, but the pesticides used strictly limit the species that can grow on the applied space and surrounding areas where the pesticides spread. [19]

The conversion of native grasslands to lawns has been a major reason why grassland birds are among the most threatened types of birds in North America. [20]

IV. Money, Time and Safety

North Americans spend a combined 40 billion dollars annually on their lawns-more than the entire continent gave in foreign aid in 2005.2021 [21]

The average homeowner spends approximately $220 annually on their lawn. [22]

The average homeowner spends more per acre on their lawn than it costs per acre to grow corn, rice, or sugarcane. [23]

Over 5 billion dollars is spent annually on fossil fuel-derived fertilizers for North American lawns. [24]

The average homeowner works over 150 hours annually on their lawn. [25]

Each year, approximately 75,000 Americans are seriously injured in lawn mower accidents and 10,000 of those accidents involve children. [26]

More than 30% these injuries result in an amputation of some sort, meaning more than 22,000 limbs and digits are lost to lawn care each year solely considering mowing accidents. [27]

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18 Smith, R.M., Thompson, K., Hodgson, J.G., Warren, P.H., Gaston, K.J. (2006). “Urban Domestic Gardens (IX): Composition and Richness of the Vascular Plant Flora, and Implications for Native Biodiversity.” Biological Conservation 129, 312-322.
19 Sauer, J.R., J.E. Hines, I. Thomas, J. Fallon, and G. Gough. (2000). “The North American breeding bird survey, results and analysis 1966 – 1999. Version 98.1, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD.” Available online at
20 Morris, K. (2005), as cited in Steinberg, T’s (2006) American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn.
21 Shah, A. (2006). The US and Foreign Aid Assistance.
22 National Gardening Association. (2000). National Gardening Survey. National Gardening Association, Burlington (VM).
23 Ibid.
24 Bormann, F.H., Balmori, D., Geballe, G.T. (2001). (1993). Redesigning the American Lawn: A search for environmental harmony (First Edition) Connecticut: Yale University Press.
25 Wood, D. (2006). “Green Green Grass”, En Route, June, 2006.
26 University of Michigan Health System, “U-M experts warn about the dangers of lawn mowers, especially with kids” (June 2, 2003). Available online at
27 Costilla, V., Bishal, D.M. (2006) “Lawnmower Injuries in the United States: 1996 to 2004”, Annals of Emergency Medicine, 47(6).
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According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2004, you are more likely to be fatally injured on the job mowing lawns than as a police officer. [28]

V. Consumption, Emissions and Pollution [See Table 1]

Each year, over 800 million gallons of gasoline are consumed by lawn mowers in the United States, which can produce the equivalent of 10 billion kWh. [29]

Lawnmowers are responsible for approximately 5% of the US’s air pollution, and an even higher percent of the air pollution in metropolitan areas. [30]

“A conventional lawn mower pollutes as much in an hour as 40 late model cars (or as much air pollution as driving a car for 100 miles).” [31]

Over 17 million gallons of fuel, mostly gasoline, are spilled in North America every summer while lawn equipment is being refueled, which can lead to contamination of groundwater. [32] (This is more than all the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez, in the Gulf of Alaska.)

Gas lawn mowers emit 10 to 12 times more hydrocarbons than a typical automobile per hour of operation. Weed-eaters emit 21 times more and leaf blowers emit 34 times more. [33]

“One hour of lawn mowing will produce approximately 2 kg of carbon dioxide, 1.8 kg of carbon monoxide, 178 g of VOCs, 6 g particulate matter and 1.8 g of nitrogen oxides.” [34]

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28 U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Sept. 9, 2004). “Fatal Occupational Injuries.” Available online at
29 US Environmental Protection Agency. “Lawn and Garden(Small Engine) Equipment.” Available online at and People-Powered Machines. “Gas Mower Facts.” Available online at
30 Ibid.
31 Ibid.
32 U.S. EPA. (2003). A Source Book on Natural Landscaping for Public Officials. Available online at
33 National Wildlife Federation. Available online at
34 City of Louisville, Kentucky. (2006). Lawn Care for Cleaner Air Program. Available online at
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“Leaf blowers (voted as 'one of the worst inventions ever' in 2002) emit roughly 26 times the carbon monoxide and 49 times the particulate matter per hour than a new light-duty vehicle.” [35]

Seven gallons of gasoline must be used just to manufacture enough fertilizer to cover one average-sized family yard. [36]

The breakdown of nitrogen fertilizers releases nitrous oxide -a greenhouse gas and contributor to acid rain, the ozone hole, and smog. [37]

Yard waste accounts for approximately 18% of municipal waste. [38]

"The World Health Organization and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) both recommend that people limit their total exposure to noises as loud as a lawn mower to 45 minutes per day for the quieter gas mowers, 15 minutes for the average mowers, and five minutes for the loudest ones." [39]

VI. "American Green"

In the US, April is National Lawn Care Month-“It’s the perfect time to honor the environment both through Earth Day and National Lawn Care Month.”-Representative from Professional Lawn Care Association of America.

Amount of turf - 25 to 40 million acres- size of Kentucky to Florida, twice the acreage of planted cotton in the US.

Between 1994 and 2004 estimated average of 75,884 Americans/year were injured with lawn mowers, roughly the amount injured by firearms.

Using a gas-powered leaf blower for a half hour emits as many hydrocarbons as driving a car 7700 miles at 30mph.

In the process of refueling their lawn equipment, Americans spill about 17 million gallons of gasoline every summer~ 50% more than marred the Alaskan coast during the notorious Exxon Valdez disaster.

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35 Glassman, S., Vanitzian, D. (2002). “Fed Up With Noisy Leaf Blowers”, Los Angeles Times, Nov. 17, 2002 and California Environmental Protection Agency. (2000). Report -Exhaust Emissions: Report to the California Legislature, 40, 50.
36 Perry, L. (2006). Fuel-Efficient Lawns and Landscapes. Available online at
37 Environment Canada. (2006). Nitrogen Oxides -NOx. Available online at
38 Perry, L. (2006). Fuel-Efficient Lawns and Landscapes. Available online at
39 The Noise Pollution Clearing House. (2004). The Quiet Zone, Summer, 2004.
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In Tampa, FL, a single golf course uses 178,800 gallons of water per day ~ more than the daily water needs for over 2200 Americans.

Lawns are founded on two resources the US is running short on-oil and water. Keeping a lawn green takes an average of 1-2 inches/week, easily over 10,000 gallons each summer for a typical 1000ft2 lawn. Natural gas is used to produce fertilizer, petroleum powers our mowers, oil is used in leaf blowers, weed whackers, and edgers, not to mention the gas used in landscape crews pick ups.

“You plant Arnold Schwarzenegger and five years from now you have Danny DeVito. Turfgrass is not native to North America and this fact combined with the continent’s highly diverse climatic conditions, makes the perfect lawn an elusive goal.”

2,4-D most extensively used herbicide in the history of the world.

A man weighing 180 pounds burns nearly 500 calories/hr pushing a nonmotorized reel mower.

Noise pollution-freeway traffic at a distance of 50ft = 68-76 decibels leaf blowers = 98-106 decibels. Every increase in 10 decibels equals a doubling in loudness, and anything over 85 decibels is considered harmful to hearing.

Leaf blowers-26 times the amount of CO/hr as new vehicle and 49 times more particulate matter-“among dirtiest engines on the face of the earth”-California Air Resources Board A morning mowing ban was part of Texas SIP for Houston area, but was revised and removed before implementation. In LA, leaf blowers have been banned for over a decade and continue to be illegal although cops generally turn their head.

The Southwest, once highly recommended to the allergic, Bermuda-grass lawns have been steadily increasing pollen counts. According to Dr. Slavin, a St. Louis allergist, “Now when a patient says that maybe he should move to Tucson, I pull out my physician’s directory and show them the 28 allergists in Tucson—all, presumably making a good living.”

Change in Tide Could Be on the Horizon

Severe droughts and diminishing water supplies have caused several localities to put bans on lawn watering, planting, etc. In Las Vegas, new homes are limited to 50% turf in their front yards, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority now offers rebates to homeowners who rip their lawns. In Aurora, Colorado, sprinklers were banned in 2002, along with the planting of any new lawns the following year.

Several cities across the Midwest have recently restricted the fertilizer and pesticide use on lawns

VII. TruGreen ChemLawn - The true horror story

“TruGreen ChemLawn is the largest lawn care provider in the United States serving more than 3.4 million households and annually generating more than $1.3 billion in income. Think of it! Just ONE company is making $1.3 Billion a year "caring" for "lawns"...

TruGreen ChemLawn contributes to the yearly application of more than 70 million pounds of pesticides on some of America’s 30 million acres of lawns. The amount of pesticides applied is significant; the rate of pesticides used on lawns is on average ten times more per acre than what is used on agricultural land.

TruGreen ChemLawn’s standard customer receipt lists 32 pesticides available for use through its residential lawn care program. An analysis of these pesticides by Toxics Action Center based on information from the pesticide manufacturer’s Material Safety

Data Sheets reveal:

17 of 32 (53%) of TruGreen ChemLawn’s pesticide products include ingredients that are possible carcinogens, as defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

All 32 of TruGreen ChemLawn’s pesticide products include ingredients that pose threats to the environment including water supplies, aquatic organisms, and non-targeted insects.

9 of 32 (28%) of TruGreen ChemLawn’s pesticide products include ingredients that are known or suspected reproductive toxins (7/32 known, 22%).

11 of 32 (34%) of TruGreen ChemLawn’s pesticide products include ingredients that are known or suspected endocrine disruptors (4/32 known, 12.5%).

13 of 32 (41%) of TruGreen ChemLawn’s pesticide products include ingredients that are banned or restricted in other countries.

Despite these dangers, TruGreen ChemLawn continues to grow and recruit new residential and commercial customers.” [40]

VIII. Suggestions : [41]

I. To the very least, reduce lawn size : Leave as much land as possible in its natural state. Or, much better, transform all that wasted land into a productive Organic & Sustainable food-producing Garden!

II. Choose native and drought tolerant species : Native species require little if any watering, fertilizer, and maintenance since they are adapted to the climate and soil. [42]

Planting native species protects natural biodiversity and ecosystems while also attracting wildlife. [43]

III. Watering : Water your lawn in the evening or early morning to minimize evaporation. Water slowly and at least one inch at each watering. Collect rainwater for landscaping needs. Water on sloped areas with care

IV. Mowing : Leave clippings on the lawn to provide nutrients equivalent to one application of fertilizer.

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40 Refuse to Use ChemLawn. (2005). “Be Truly Green.”
41 Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture. “Water Use and Conservation Facts.” Available online
42 Go for Green. (2006). Fact Sheet #6: Gardening with Native Plants. Available online at
43 Ibid.
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“Clippings do not cause thatch. Mulching mowers are also available which help the clippings hide in the grass. If you mow the lawn before it gets too tall, the clippings left on the lawn will quickly disappear from view. Of course this technique also saves hauling yard waste to the landfill -some states have banned yard waste from landfills.” [44]

Use Alternative Mowers : “Push mowers (reel mowers) used to be heavy, clunky contraptions which required great effort in cutting the lawn. A new generation of reel mowers has been designed, however, which operate much more effectively with a fraction of the effort. The added benefits include a good light exercise and pollution-free lawn care.”

The Bully Push Mower : “This 15" Easy Push Mower has a five-blade reel for a perfect cut, hardened steel blades, ball bearing wheels, and easy spin gearing. At 18 lbs., it's much lighter weight than other reel mowers on the market.” [45] Price? $99.95

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44 Earth Easy. (2007). “Natural Lawn Care.” Available online at
http://www.eartheasy.com/grow_lawn_care.htm
45 Ibid.
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But more than anything else, the self-evident conclusion to all this should be quite self-evident: Get rid of that lawn, and replace it by Edible Landscaping and a food-producing Organic and Sustainable Garden!

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Table 1 - Fuel Consumption from Lawn and Garden Equipment, 2005 Equipment Classification Gasoline Diesel Total fuel consumption (in million gallons)

Mowing Equipment
Front mowers Commercial 19.24 90.77 110.01
Lawn & garden tractors Commercial 214.86 18.74 233.59
Lawn & garden tractors Residential 523.91 0 523.91
Lawn mowers Commercial 144.52 0 144.52
Lawn mowers Residential 194.27 0 194.27
Rear engine riding mowers Commercial 15.74 0 15.74
Rear engine riding mowers Residential 38.69 0 38.69
Total 1,151.22 109.5 1,260.72

Commercial turf equipment
Commercial 686.16 14.56 700.73
Rotary tillers over 6 HP Commercial 80.73 0 80.73
Rotary tillers under 6 HP Residential 18 0 18
Total 784.89 14.56 799.46

Wood Cutting Equipment
Chain saws over 6 HP Commercial 80.52 0 80.52
Chain saws under 6 HP Residential 19.5 0 19.5
Chippers/stump grinders Commercial 37.44 123.52 160.96
Shredders over 6 HP Commercial 8.55 0 8.55
Total 146.02 123.52 269.54

Blowers and Vacuums
Leafblowers/vacuums Commercial 200.68 0.01 200.69
Leafblowers/vacuums Residential 19.49 0 19.49
Snowblowers Commercial 30.08 1.61 31.69
Snowblowers Residential 15.92 0 15.92
Total 266.17 1.62 267.79

Trimming Equipment
Trimmers/edgers/brush cutter Commercial 64.1 0 64.1
Trimmers/edgers/brush cutter Residential 28.11 0 28.11
Other lawn & garden equipmentb Commercial 22.39 0.34 22.73
Other lawn & garden equipmentb Residential 18.76 0 18.76
Total 133.36 0.34 133.71
Total All Equipment 2,481.66 249.56 2,731.22

Source:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NONROAD2005 Model, www.epa.gov/otaq/nonrdmdl.htm .
a Includes equipment such as aerators, dethatchers, sod cutters, hydro-seeders, turf utility vehicles, golf course greens mowers, and sand trap groomers.
b Includes equipment not otherwise classified such as augers, sickle-bar mowers, and wood splitters. Available online at http://www-cta.ornl.gov/data/tedb26/Spreadsheets/Table2_10.xls

* Note: There are slight variations in EPA estimants and National Wildlife Federation estimants of annual fuel consumption most likely due to differences in data year collection and classification of lawn care equipment.


Copyright OSL 2008. All rights reserved. Standard license.
Permalink for the present post: http://healththrugardening.blogspot.com/2008/09/horror-story-more-lawn-related.html

CALLING FOR A "HOLY WAR" AGAINST LAWNS

CALLING FOR A "HOLY WAR" AGAINST LAWNS

When you really think of it, lawns certainly end among some of the most foolish and ridiculous creations of the human mind...

The concept of lawns arose from the fact that the dominant power from roughly 1750 to 1950 was Great-Britain. There, it rains all the time, and there, the green grassy areas that gave birth to the idea of "lawn" are more or less natutal occurences. The idle rich landowners of the landed gentry were intent to show off their wealth, and huge green areas put to no particular use were a way to do just that. They were in turn copied by increasingly less wealthy people, as lawns became a sign of status, slowly trickling down the social scales.

The rest is history. People like and tend to reproduce the familiar. As Englishmen of Imperial Britain tried to recreate a semblance of their native environment and customs wherever they went, the lawn as an universal "must" was unfortunately born. Even in semi-desert or desert climates such as say Australia or the American "South-West" (read, Southern California), where lawns and these super-lawns known as "golf courses" are nothing short of monstrosities...

In fact, believe it or not, the amount of space, time, energy, water and other resources yearly invested in lawns are absolutely staggering, making them the number one "agricultural" endeavor in the United States.

SOME LAWNMOVER STATISTICS:

EPA Statistics: Gas Mowers represent 5% of U.S. Air Pollution
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FACT 1: Just one hour of mowing is the equivalent of driving 350 miles in terms of volatile organic compounds.

Fact 2: One average gas mower spews 87 lbs. of the greenhouse gas CO2, and 54 lbs. of other pollutants into the air. Every year.

Fact 3: Over 17 million gallons of gas are spilled each year refueling lawn and garden equipment – more oil than was spilled by the infamous Exxon Valdez.

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Each weekend, about 54 million Americans mow their lawns, using 800 MILLION gallons of gas per year. And producing millions of tons of air pollutants in the process. Garden equipment engines, which have had unregulated emissions until very recently, emit the highest levels of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, producing up to 5% of the nation's air pollution. And a good deal more in metropolitan areas.

According to the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), one traditional gas powered lawn mower produces as much air pollution as forty-three new cars each being driven 12,000 miles. That's *1* lawnmover and *43* CARS and 12,000 MILES. 1 lawnmover, 43 cars... Think of it!

Speaking of gas, the EPA states that 17 million gallons of fuel, mostly gasoline, are spilled each year while refueling lawn equipment. That's more than all the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez, in the Gulf of Alaska. In addition to groundwater contamination, spilled fuel that evaporates into the air and volatile organic compounds spit out by small engines make smog-forming ozone when cooked by heat and sunlight.

Until 1995, lawnmower emissions were unregulated. Older more powerful, less efficient two-cycle engines release 25-30% of their oil and gas unburned into the air. Gas mowers emit hydrocarbons (a principle ingredient of smog), particulate matter (damaging to your respiratory system, and even worse for children), carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas) and carbon dioxide (contributing to global warming). The health toll includes cancer as well as damage to lungs, heart, and both the immune and detoxification systems. In addition, smog inhibits plant growth. EPA regulations are beginning to reduce mower emissions, but there is still a very long way to go...

And all this were just lawnmover statistics. [If you want to know more about this, just go here: http://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com/faq-environment.htm ]

And of course, it does not stop there. Far from it!

In fact, just here in the USA, there is something like 30 to 40 MILLION acres [12 to 16 Million Hectares, for readers elsewhere] of lawns. Making them the most-planted U.S. "crop" ever.

Lawns also use, in average, 10 times MORE toxic chemicals than the most intensively chemical-based conventional agriculture.

Actually, being in the "lawn care" business is one of the most dangerous occupation there is, perhaps more dangerous than being in the military in time of colonial wars. In fact, according to the US government, you have significantly more chances to be injured on the job working as a lawn maintenance worker than working as a police officer.

To begin with, if dealing with lawns is your job, cancer is not a possibility, but almost a certitude. And the host of lawn-"care"-related chronic and acute diseases almost reads like a list of everything bad you can develop.

This is to say nothing yet about the fact that, in 2001, lawns COST about $37.7 BILLION a year to maintain. A little of that money was actually used on non-lawn "garden"-related purchases, but with the runaway inflation since 2001, one can evaluate that the cost of "lawns and gardens" for 2008 will probably be in the vicinity of $50 BILLION, with the purely "lawn" part of that money over $45 BILLION.

That's over the yearly budget of many countries, and one could have a nice medium-priced war for that amount of money. If this same amount was invested four years in a row into the creation of solar power or wind power systems in suitable locations, say Nevada for solar and North Dakota for wind, it would be enough cash to actually create the infrastructure to generate the entire electricity used in the USA in a whole year, renevably and free to the consumer, for as long as the system will be maintained. Just imagine... a world with no lawns, but free electricity to all households! And from the fifth year on, of course, that same money could be used to... well, you name it. That gives you an idea of the actual money hole that lawns represent!

This, of course, is all a little bit theoretical... So, the very same thing could be said in a different way: Assuming you are a homeowner and have a lawn, if you stopped "caring" for your useless lawn, and invested wisely all the money so saved, for retirement or a college education for your children, you could create quite a sizeable nest egg that way. To say nothing about the enormous amounts of time also so saved, in addition.

In short, lawns are definitely things of the past. They need to go the way of the horse and buggy, of DDT and Agent Orange, and of the 8 or 10 miles a gallon gas-guzzler. It's time for us all to grow up! Lawns are definitely OUT.

Eliminating lawns should of course first and foremost be done by educating the public at large, and experience proves that many people are quite receptive when exposed to the facts. But it could also be done by more "persuasive" approaches, that is, by a positive use of the often highly abused coercive power of the State, what we usually call "government".

Since "the power to tax is the power to kill", lawns as contemptuous wastes of space and resources are prime candidates for taxation, and, in fact, should be taxed. And taxed heavily. By the square foot.

To the contrary, every amount of land dedicated to organic food production, and particularly, to personal and family gardens, should to the very minimum be taken off tax roles completely. Not be taxed at all, or even better, perhaps subventioned from the proceeds of redistributed lawn taxes.

Such an approach to the lawn problem would create a powerful incentive toward the disparition of lawn waste, as well as encourage the advent of personal organic food production, with quite predictible yet truly momentous consequences for public health and the common well-being.

However, you don't have to wait for such measures to start taking action yourself now!

DO IT YOURSELF & DO IT NOW: First, of course, start with your own lawn. And spread the word. What's most remarkable with community approaches is that any municipality or county can create and implement laws and regulations to this effect. There is no need to wait for State or federal laws that might never come, considering in whose pay the average professional politician is.

Educating oneself and one's family, friends and neighbors about lawns does not take much effort. It's impossible for anyone who thinks rationally to read the three first posts in the present blog, and not be convinced that there is indeed sort of a "small problem" at hand when it comes to lawns... Taking action about it yourself and sharing the information are both easy steps to take -- as it will only save you and your friends and family lots of time and money, and that, right away.

Even more formal and "persuasive" community action is also something that can be done locally, completely at the proverbial grass-roots level. All it takes is the will to do it, and get to the very roots of that grass.


It's something simple and easy to do, and you can decide to start doing it right away! Don't be surprised if suddenly you can envision yourself, a few months from now, looking back to this very moment as you are enjoying the products of your brand new organic and sustainable garden, a garden that flourishes where that useless time & money lawn thief once was, as you start congratulating yourself for having taken the decision to get rid of that lawn and replace it by something useful, beautiful and healthy right away. You will see how glad you are for having taken the right decision right now! It was probably one of the best decisions you ever made! It's like quitting smoking and truly have lost the habit... No one who ever got off lawns ever regretted to have replaced these unhealthy money and time sinks by an Organic and Sustainable Garden!

And wait until you read the crushing statistics coming in the next post! Once you get to real statistics, lawns really read like a horror story!

Copyright OSL 2008 - All rights reserved. Standard non-commercial license to reproduce freely. Permalink of the present post: http://healththrugardening.blogspot.com/2008/09/calling-for-holy-war-against-lawns.html

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[HD-Site00] WELCOME TO HEALTH THRU GARDENING

[HD-Site00] WELCOME TO HEALTH THRU GARDENING

Welcome to the HARD DATA BLOG for HEALTH THRU GARDENING here at http://healththrugardening.blogspot.com/ . This blog is part of our family of related blogs and focuses on the SCIENTIFIC DATA related to DIET, NUTRITION, FOOD & OPTIMAL FUNCTIONAL FOOD PRODUCTION.

HEALTH THRU GARDENING is a (for the time being) small grassroots non-profit, currently centered on Santa Monica and Malibu, CA. We focus on the relation between Nutrition and Health, and the best ways to insure optimal nutrition, namely, the creation, maintenance and continuous use of food-producing Organic & Sustainable Gardens.

Hard science demonstrates that the relation between the way we eat and the way we feel as well as the quality and length of our lives is indeed very close. So close that the best experts in the field have come to the conclusion that 95% or more of all chronic or acute diseases and illnesses that afflict us are, in the end, directly or indirectly function of our diet. We definitely are what we eat...

We are currently developing several blogs related to these subjects, the material of which will later be used to create a specialized portal, and for media syndication.

Because the quality of what we eat is so important to our health, we believe we should all follow the command once given to health seekers by Pr Dr Otto Warburg, the only physician to ever get TWO Nobel Prizes (missing a third by a hair width): "Get as much food from your own garden as you possibly can!"

Pr Warburg did not add the word "organic" in that command, because he could not even conceive that anyone would be foolish enough to even think about introducing chemicals in their own garden. For him, the very reason why one would want to and actually needed to have their own garden was precisely to avoid chemical contamination and other adulterations of our own foods! Dr Warburg's specialty was cancer, and he saw man-made chemicals and contaminated or adulterated foods as the direct or ultimate causes of most if not all cancers, and of a host of other medical conditions as well. A fact that has now been completely demonstrated in countless peer-reviewed publications since Pr Warburg's death in 1970.

Unfortunately, for many of us, our dietary habits are sacred cows, untouchable, sacred even if we have to die for them. And indeed, die we do!

But if health, longevity and quality of life are of any interest to you, this is something you need to face. Even if you love your fast foods, snacks, dairy, ice cream and "diet" soda. What we are talking about here is not just opinion, feelings, fad or fancy, like about everything you are accustomed to hear about when it comes to nutrition.

This is not another introduction to some other fad diet.

This is hard science, science as hard as it will get, and facts so unavoidable that you can only ignore them at your own peril.

Now, although a personal Organic & Sustainable Garden is not the only possible way to go, it is by far the safest and most cost effective, and this is why we focus on it.

Now, whether that Organic & Sustainable Garden is in your own backyard or rooftop, at a friend's place, in a Community Garden space, or even is a form of Guerilla Gardening on public or unused land, is not really very important. The only important fact are whether that garden exists, has been created and maintained as optimally as is possible, and if you eat out of it as much as you can. That's it!

Of course, not everyone will be inclined to maintain their own Organic & Sustainable Garden, so we will explore as well all possible forms of teaming up with friends or neighbors, barter deal, crop sharing deals and "Community Supported Agriculture".

How you get your unadulterated, fresh and functional food does not matter, as long as you get it!

Bringing you the best possible information about these and all related subjects is what we will pursue here through the publication of a family of related and interconnected blogs:

OPTIMAL GARDENS http://optimalgardens.blogspot.com/
This is the "General Knowledge" section of our blog family. It's already a treasure trove after only a few months existence, and everything we publish there can be freely reproduced and used by anyone so inclined, anywhere in the world, as long as the material remains unchanged, as our copyright notices are also licenses for non-commercial use.

Everything published there will be brought to the community in a manner than makes emulating what we do as easy as can possibly be.

PERSONAL GARDENS - THE SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL PERSONAL GARDENING
http://personalgardens.blogspot.com/ This is the "HOW TO" section of our blog family. And also where the technological aspects will be discussed.

Technological aspects? Of Gardening??? Indeed! In fact, it is our conviction that in a not too-far-away future, when the quality of the food we eat will be recognized by everyone at all interested in health issues, as the primary factor of Health, we believe that almost every health-conscious person will have an Organic and Sustainable "Personal Garden".

Exactly like everyone today has a "Personal Computer", and, in fact, several of them (desktop, laptop, iPod, cell phone, etc). And we also believe that these "Personal Gardens" will often be bought ready-made, be automatized and, actually, robotized. A necessary convenience.

We think of these "Personal Gardens" as the PCs or iPods of Nutrition. And we personally want to be at the forefront of that revolution. In dot-com veteran parlance, we see this as a "killer app'". Perhaps the ultimate killer app'. A paradigm shift of momentous nature, significance, and impact. A meme that has the potential to spread like wildfire. And, obviously, prime IPO material, particularly considering how many patents beg to be applied for around the general concept of "Personal Gardens". Plus, for a host of reasons, it seems fairly clear that the worse things will go for the economy at large, the more Personal Gardens will sell. Considering where we are headed, it should be clear that there is a lot of potential momentum to tap here...

Once you understand the issues at hand and the potential of the whole concept to completely change the way we eat, and in fact, the way we live, we believe you will be as excited as we are, particularly if you are a bit of the entrepreneurially-minded mindset.

And if all you want is to find out how to do-it-yourself optimally and at the least possible cost, you sure found the right pages!

HEALTH THRU GARDENING - COMMUNITY SERVICES & ADS
http://htgcommunityservices.blogspot.com/
This is the instrument through which we will bring replicable models of what we do to the community, in a way that will allow to emulate them effortlessly. Our goal is to create models that are truly easy to replicate, for anyone so inclined, anywhere in the world.

HEALTH THRU GARDENING - THE DATA
http://healththrugardening.blogspot.com/
This blog is currently in development, and will focus on the scientific data linking Health with Diet & Nutrition. A major article about "The Warburg Imperative" is in preparation, as well as an in-depth analysis of the "China Project" data brought to us by Oxford and Cornell Universities and the Chinese Academy of Sciences under the leadership of a man who has been hailed as "the Einstein of Nutrition, Pr Dr T. Colin Campbell.

Finally, there will be a couple related blogs focusing on specialized issues. The first one is a related blog focusing on Compost & Composting at:
http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/

Interested? Wonderful! You can contact us by email, each blog's URL is also the corresponding email @gmail.com. For example, to discover what the email address for a blog named optimalgardens.blogspot.com/ is, you simply replace ".blogspot" by "@gmail" on the model: optimalgardens[.blogspot].com/ giving you [blogname]@gmail[.com]. This is valid for all our blogs.

[HC-Site00 - V100-080921] Permalink: http://healththrugardening.blogspot.com/2008/09/hc-site00-welcome-to-health-thru.html


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WEB DESIGNERS --GRAPHICS ARTISTS -CODERS -SEO & MARKETING -Etc
If you wish to volunteer to help us set up specialized websites and particularly complex portal sites using the present material and more, presented in a more graphic way, and complemented with multimedia material, we need you! Software such as like of Drupal or Joomla, more advanced forms of Wordpress, etc, is the way to go, so please contact us, you will be very welcome! We already have the hosting, and quite a few domains, all we need is your elbow grease! ;)
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