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Is Your Backyard Helping the Environment?
Arthur Stamoulis
 There's
an increasing movement across the country to wipe out that long-time
environmental scourge, the front- and backyard.
Truth be told, its not yards per se that environmentalists are worried
about. It's those well-manicured, bright green lawns. The reasons
are pretty clear if you think about it.
First off, most homeowners feel a need to water their lawns. In a
time of drought, using precious water resources in order to keep grass
green is pretty ridiculous. But even when water is plentiful, it seems
unnecessary to "sprinkle" potable water that has been heavily
filtered and tested over the ground. If not a waste of water itself,
it's at least a waste of time and money. There are plenty of plants
that do just fine with the water that the occasional rainstorm provides
them. Those are what yards should be made of.
Then there's that bane of many a teenager's existence, mowing. Mowing
the lawn is a colossal waste of time-especially considered it's usually
done on weekends or evenings when the weather is gorgeous. Wouldn't
you rather spend that time outdoors riding a bike, playing with your
kids, or kicking back in the hammock?
If more free time isn't important to you, consider this: lawnmower
emissions take a big hit on the environment. Lawnmowers aren't often
regulated as strictly as cars and trucks are, so they can pump out
a tremendous amount of pollutants. According to The Wise Yardener,
"a gas-powered lawnmower pollutes as much in one hour as driving
an automobile for 350 miles."
As if that weren't enough, there are also the millions of pounds of
chemical fertilizers and pesticides that Americans put on their yards
each year. These chemicals get carried off into streams, rivers, aquifers
and reservoirs every time it rains, causing algal blooms and various
other nasty problems. Some home-use pesticides have even been known
to harm children and pets.
Luckily, there are a number of fine alternatives to lawns-and you
can start small. If you enjoy spending time outdoors "working
on the lawn," try converting just part of it into a small vegetable
patch. You may find fresh tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and squash
just as rewarding as the bright green grass.
If gardening isn't your thing, find a sunny, out-of-the-way spot,
and plant a variety of local wildflowers. If you use native species,
they'll require very little maintenance, and with a little planning
ahead of time, should like nice even when not in bloom. During those
special times of year when the plants are flowering, your yard will
be the envy of the neighborhood.
 When
you're ready to take things to the next level, try planting some native
trees, shrubs and tall grasses. Deciduous trees can provide your home
shade in the summer, while letting in light during the winter. When
combined with shrubs, they can also help block out drafts at the baseboards.
What's more, "letting your lawn go" can help provide new
habitat for wildlife-attracting song birds, beneficial insects, and
possibly more.
There are all sorts of options available, from rock gardens and birdbaths
to ponds and artificial marshes. Just make sure to plan out what you
think will look nice ahead of time-and be sure to use native plants.
Native plants are ones that are native to your area; ones that grew
there long before the developers came along. These are the plants
that will thrive without a lot of extra watering, fertilizers or pesticides-and
are ones that birds and other wildlife in your area will most appreciate.
For some more ideas on how to get started, visit the "Backyard
Wildlife Habitat" website at http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/.
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