We have a rectangle of grass in front of our house that is just big enough for a picnic. But why would we want a picnic in our front yard? The bigger question is why the heck did we have the builder put in a postage stamp of grass anyway? It is ridiculously high-maintenance and stupid bad for the environment. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing those vibrant, green springtime lawns blanketed with brand-new dandelions when riding through the State Park. The colors pop! The greenish-yellowish buds swishing and sweeping from the pantheon of willow trees along the lake adds a beautiful accent to the verdant soft grass and those intensely yellow buttons. But turf grass — which, in the United States, covers the combined surface area of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts — is horrible for the environment. Our perfect, well-trimmed lawns are mono-cultures that have nothing for bees, butterflies, and moths to pollinate. They require great quantities of water to keep from turning brown, pesticides for bugs and weeds, and polluting, gas-powered lawnmowers.
However, small, simple things can be done to reduce the carbon footprint of our yards, and that is what this column is about: small, simple things.
Lawns — Start by being lazy. Only cut your grass every three or four weeks. Get an electric lawnmower and trimmer. Landscape to reduce grass: Use ground cover, rocks and stone features, shrubs and trees. Less is more.
Food — Harkening back to my cheeseburger column, small changes make a big difference. Buy local when possible; it reduces carbon associated with transportation. Buy in bulk and use your own reusable container (think Marilla’s Mindful Supplies on Exchange Street); eat less meat and dairy, which cause 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions; and compost leftovers (sign up for Growing Green from Blueprint Geneva).
Clothing — Get cold-water detergent and wash your clothes in cold water. Just two cold loads a week can save 500 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. And, for heaven’s sake, don’t buy fast fashion. The average American throws away 80 pounds of clothing annually, which ends up in the landfill.
Shopping — Buy less. Come on, really, yes you can. Little stuff, like buy a laptop instead of a desktop computer because they require less energy. Choose products that use less packaging materials. Use bamboo or recycled paper products. Simple stuff.
Home — Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Use LED lights. Turn your water temperature down to 120; it will save 550 pounds of CO2 a year. Buy your electricity from clean energy sources and punch the thermostat up a degree in summer and down one in winter. Use hand towels more often than paper towels. Small stuff.
Transportation — Drive less. Think about and plan your errands and outings to make fewer trips. Take care of your car so it pollutes less. When you purchase a car, buy a hybrid or electric. Hybrids tend to be cheaper than EVs, and some EVs actually have a larger carbon footprint than some hybrids because of how they are manufactured.
I am a sinner who hasn’t repented yet when it comes to some of these things, but I have a list and a plan. You can, too, and you will feel better and be a better steward when you do.
Sources: Columbia Climate School and NRDC.
Cameron Miller of Geneva is an author and minister. His fiction and poetry are available through Amazon. Contact him through his website at subversivepreacher.org.
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