How does your lawn look?
Was it mowed recently enough?
Is it as green as it should be?
Have you (or, more likely, your landscaper) used the proper pesticides, and put up appropriate warning signs?
There must be a better way, you think.
There is.
August 1 marked the start of the “Less Lawn, More Life Challenge.”
Co-sponsored by Aspetuck Land Trust, it’s a regional effort to create vibrant, eco-friendly landscapes that support biodiversity and environmental health.
For 8 weeks, ecological experts and pioneers in the “re-wilding” movement will offer tips and insights to help residents “unleash the full potential” of their lawns.
The “Less Lawn, More Life Challenge” includes webinars, weekly challenges, opportunities for community building, prizes and celebratory events.
Meanwhile, participants (and their lawns) will help the climate, through new habits and meaningful action.
Maintaining a lawn takes work. And it’s not great for the planet.
Leaders of the effort say:
We are participating in the first man-made warming of the climate and extinction crisis. Between 200 and 2,000 species go extinct each year. But we can address this global ecological crisis by converting some portion of our yards from an environmental liability (with chemicals, mowing, blowing and very limited number of species) to an environmental asset that sequesters carbon, retains water and provides habitat for literally thousands of species.
The variety of life on the planet is called biodiversity – there are millions of species of animals, plants, fungi, and other types of living organisms. Without variety, nature is less stable and less functional in supporting the processes that support life on earth, including us humans. It’s time we use our piece of earth – our yards – to restore the planet.
Though the challenge began Thursday, there’s still time to sign up, reimagine your lawn, and create a space that is both beautiful and ecologically vital. Click here for details.
Reimagining a lawn.
