Problem Identification

Our Lawns are Destroying the Planet

Lawns are often kept for reasons relating to aesthetics and recreation, but many are unaware of how detrimental they can be for the environment and its inhabitants. Lawns occupy more than 40 million acres of land in the United States– over three times the amount of land that is used to produce irrigated crops like corn and wheat.¹ Grass lawns require extensive upkeep for minimal ecological services in return. Some issues concerning lawn care include pesticide use, water use and pollution, air pollution, and biodiversity loss. The tradition of maintaining neat, manicured lawns is rooted in seventeenth century England– who viewed cropped turf grass as an indulgence that only the very-wealthy could afford. But in modern times, lawns are a common possession that frequently go unused or fail to thrive.² The benefits and consequences of lawns are widely unbalanced, which has sparked conversations about the purpose of lawns, as well as more sustainable alternatives that can be implemented for our landscapes.

A wide variety of pesticides are used to keep lawns looking pristine and weed-free. Most of the grass species grown for U.S. lawns are native to Europe. Since these yards are non-native, they are poorly adapted to the climate and soil quality of the United States. As a result, they require fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides in order to stay alive and healthy.³ The chemicals inside these products can pose adverse effects to the health of humans and our waterways. Each year, 50,000 tons of pesticides are used by homeowners in the U.S. for landscaping.⁴ The majority of pesticides for garden and home-use are considered broad-spectrum, which means they kill a wide variety of organisms– not only pests.

Source: *Good Nature Organic Lawn Care*, 2019.

In a study concerning 30 of the most commonly used pesticides, it was found that “19 are linked with cancer or carcinogenicity, 13 are linked with birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 26 with liver or kidney damage, 15 with neurotoxicity, and 11 with disruption of the endocrine (hormonal) system”.⁵ Additionally, 17 of them had contaminated groundwater, 23 have potential to permeate drinking-water reservoirs, 24 pose toxic risks to aquatic life, 11 are detrimental to bees, and 16 are toxic for birds.⁶ For the sake of lawn care, homeowners typically use 10 times the amount of fertilizers and pesticides that farmers do to upkeep their crops.⁷ The pesticides that are frequently used on lawns remain active from one month to up to one year, meaning there is a considerable amount of time for them to vaporize into the atmosphere, absorb into the skin and mucous membranes, and/or contaminate fabrics and furniture. Household pesticides pose a higher risk to children and pets than to adults, mostly due to underdeveloped organs and increased exposure.

Lawns require large quantities of water to survive. It is estimated that 30-60% of the freshwater in urban areas is used solely for lawn care– which often gets wasted due to incorrect watering practices, for example, poorly timed watering schedules and insufficient application.⁸ Nationally, approximately 34 billion liters of water are used on lawns per day– breaking down to over 189 liters per household.⁹ During periods of rain and watering, chemical runoff from fertilizers, pesticides, and more get introduced to waterways. Lawn fertilizers are composed of nitrogenous ingredients that, when introduced to water sources, will lead to a process known as eutrophication. This occurs when excess nitrogen enters an aquatic ecosystem and causes mass amounts of algae to bloom. These algal blooms cause waterways to become anoxic (lacking oxygen) and unable to support life; the organisms that do not die often move to healthier areas, which ultimately disrupts the distribution of populations and territories.¹⁰ Over 64 million liters of the fuel used for lawn mowers and other garden equipment is spilled every year, increasing potential for harmful chemical runoff.¹¹

Source: *Cornell University Lab of Ornithology*, 2012.

Another issue with lawns is that their maintenance contributes to air pollution. According to data from the Columbia Climate School, 5% of the world’s air pollution is caused by lawn mowers.¹² Lawn mower emissions include carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, hydrocarbons, methane, ethane, ethene, ethanol, particulate matter, and carbon dioxide– some of which are proven to cause cancer.¹³ The harmful vapors that can be released from pesticide and fertilizer application are also a contributor to air pollution.

Biodiversity loss is one of the most severe consequences of non-native turf grass lawns. Grass is a monoculture, which means it is the only organism growing within an area. As a result of lawns lacking pollen-producing plants (like clover), pollinators and other organisms have limited to no sources of food. The available food sources on lawns are typically contaminated with maintenance chemicals, so it poses health risks to any organism that consumes it. The flowers that do successfully grow are often deemed as weeds and removed. Society’s habit of mowing lawns to appear neat and attractive eliminates potential habitats for insects and small mammals. The frequent use of pesticides required for lawns can drive away and/or kill many beneficial organisms such as bees, butterflies, worms, frogs, and spiders.¹⁴ These organisms provide many ecological advantages, including pollination and natural pest control. Water pollution caused by grass fertilizer and pesticide runoff can negatively affect biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems via eutrophication or poisoning.

The potential stakeholders of turfgrass lawns is most of the population in the United States. Most homeowners, anyone who uses lawns for recreation like picnics or sports, businesses, government offices, park and urban planners/developers, and animals in the wild and under domestication are all affected by the existence of lawns. Since lawns occupy such a considerable portion of the United States, there are not many things that they do not impact. They have an influence on all levels of the ecosystem, so therefore it is crucial for its upkeep to be as sustainable as possible. Every level of society holds some accountability regarding the existence of lawns, so solutions have to be formulated to benefit each demographic– whether they own the land, or simply use it.

For the next three months, my goal is to research solutions and alternatives to monoculture lawns in order to make them more sustainable. In order for something to be sustainable, it has to be a practice, process, or entity with initiatives, actions, or impacts that serve to meet the social, economic, and environmental needs of the present without exceeding planetary boundaries for future generations. The process of making something sustainable must be inclusive to all involved and remain transparent, scientifically supported, and equitable. The main goals of sustainability are to promote resources that maximize renewal, encourage re-use, minimize waste, protect natural ecosystems, reduce pollution, mitigate global climate change, economically empower (rather than exploit) people and the environment, and enhance the standard of human well-being by ensuring basic rights and social justice for all.¹⁵ These definitions of sustainability will be used to promote education about lawns and their implications, develop alternatives to turf grass, and challenge the long-standing tradition of monoculture landscaping.

PriorSustainabilityDefinitions Download

Source: *Kiftsgate Court Garden: The Wild Garden.* 2019. Image Credit: Michael Garlick.

Sources:

Are our lawns biological deserts? NSF – National Science Foundation.

https://beta.nsf.gov/news/are-our-lawns-biological-deserts.

Engels J. 2016 Jun 3. Why Our Lawns Are Bad for the Environment and How to

Change Them for the Better. The Permaculture Research Institute.

https://www.permaculturenews.org/2016/06/03/why-our-lawns-are-bad-for-the-en

vironment-and-how-to-change-them-for-the-better/.

Ignatieva M, Ahrné K, Wissman J, Eriksson T, Tidåker P, Hedblom M, Kätterer T,

Marstorp H, Berg P, Eriksson T, et al. 2015. Lawn as a cultural and ecological

phenomenon: A conceptual framework for transdisciplinary research. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 14(2):383–387. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2015.04.003.

Lawn Care Chemicals: How Toxic Are They? | Eartheasy Guides & Articles | Eartheasy

Guides & Articles. learneartheasycom.

https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/lawn-care-chemicals-how-toxic-are-they/.

Looking for Lawns. 2005 Nov 8. earthobservatorynasa.gov.

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/Lawn/lawn2.php.

Mckenzie KH & R. 2021 November 9. Environment 911. Environment 911.

https://www.environment911.org/How-do-Grass-Yards-Affect-the-Planet-and-Why

-Should-You-Have-a-Biodiverse-Yard. ‌

Paul. 2019 June 20. Lawns may be green, but they’re terrible for the environment.

ggwash.org.

https://ggwash.org/view/72499/lawns-are-good-for-almost-nothing-environment-e

co-landscaping.