When I visited my family summer home last week I saw something troubling: the tick, mosquito and lawn chemical people were out. Everywhere.
The lovely, high-end neighborhood where I grew up is right on Mattapoisett harbor—a place that used to be teeming with life. As a kid I used to scoop up starfish and bay scallops at low tide. I haven’t seen a starfish or bay scallop there in years. In fact, low tide now looks like a dead zone.
My brother just hired an organic landscaper for our family summer place. When he met the new landscaper, he asked him if demand was growing for organic treatment. In response, the contractor paused—for an uncomfortably long moment. Finally he said, “You are the only one in the neighborhood”.
Have we arrived at a time when the best educated people give no thought to the consequences of their actions? How did we get to at a place where toxic chemicals are freely manufactured, sold, and spread by landscapers without question?
The most common lawn chemical is glyphosate, often known by its brand name, Roundup. This chemical is classified as “probably carcinogenic’ and is labeled with warnings of “irreversible eye damage” and “allergic reactions”.
Another chemical commonly used in lawn products is 2,4-D, also known as agent orange. This herbicide is known to cause liver problems and nerve damage. It is also considered a “possible human carcinogen” and an “endocrine disruptor”.
The primary chemical used in tick and mosquito control is permethrin. This a synthetic chemical resembling a natural chemical. Sometimes landscapers consider this pesticide organic, since it resembles a natural chemical.
But permethrin is highly toxic to fish, bees and other insects. It is less toxic to humans and dogs, but extremely toxic to cats. (Source: National Pesticide Information Center)
Who would want these products in their yard? Most of us probably wouldn’t. But unfortunately there is no legal definition or standard for “natural” or “organic” lawn care. And people don’t think to read the label on lawn products.
Then there’s the greenwashing. A “healthy lawn” in advertising is a lawn where all the weeds are dead and the grass has been artificially fertilized. There is nothing green about this—except the color of the lawn.
At my home in Maine, we mow the grass. Every year we have to remind the landscaper to leave the clippings on the ground. The clippings shade the grass from the hot sun, and fertilize the lawn naturally. Our organic lawn contains a mix of plants, all green and all the same height. It looks beautiful!
You too can have a lovely, organic lawn. Easy things to do are to raise the blade when mowing, so the grass doesn’t scorch in hot weather, or wait until the end of May for the first mow, so pollinators can feed on the tiny flowers in the lawn. If you need to build up your soil, you can do that naturally by spreading lime, compost, manure or loam.
If you do hire a landscaper, ask them if they offer organic services and what those consist of. We requested organic landscaping several years ago, and several weeks later found a toxic chemical warning sign on the lawn. Chemicals are such an ingrained habit with some landscapers, that you have to be vigilant in order to get what you want.
But just think—if you do insist on organic landscaping, not only will your lawn and adjacent waters be healthier, but you will raise the consciousness of your landscaping providers. If you maintain your own lawn, you can read labels and question retailers who carry toxic products. By speaking up and changing your practices, you can take a step forward for a healthy environment.