Lawns

pg3 “Lawn people worry a lot about what they do, although their behavior is not always altered by that belief.”  Pretty common problem for a lot of environmental issues, people are concerned but the concern is about something so abstract that their actions do not reflect their attitudes

pg13 ”And as we shall see, the demands of turf grasses are an immediate and profound influence on homeowners, which set people about the tasks that keep them busy throughout the growing season. Who’s to say which species domesticated which?”

Lawn People

Aside from perhaps one of the most painful styles of wtriting that i have had to personally put up with, i thought this book was full of interesting facts aside from the authors thoroughly cryptic and bold theories; this book requires patience that i, and probably many, simply do not have for in leisure reading, thus i apologize for not being near schizophrenic in depth of analysis. However, I( was intrigued with the styarting thought of where the lawn actually came from and how it evolved? Starting in France in the 1500’s, and moving to England in the 1700’s, the lawn became a majestic status symbol of only the highest classes of manor estates, diverging largely in ecology from the meadow to the monoculture, requiring intnesive labor and the mere job of cutting with a scythe was a job for multiple workers that would have taken many hours. The style of these lawns, Robbins did not describe very well, but one could imagine a typical/stereotypical English estate, whewreby the landscape would have extensive and would hjave showen character- nothing like today’s suburban l;awn. We progress to the Americas, taken here and showing up in Southern farm mansions, in addtion to New England court houses and common greens etc, as an evolved  asset to social activities- not at all for the common person and their private property.  What did the landscapes look like? Can you unimagine the lawn as Robbin would challenge your imagination? Downing’s respected taste and style of lawns were more or less congruent with the majestic aura of English estates; only lawns shoul be as flat and open as possible, as unnatural monocultural as possible. Olmsted brought it home with his influence on City parks all over the country, most notably New York City’s.

When considring the intrioduction of the lawn, the thought does not escape one’s mind of how this all escalated into the chemical lawn monoculture of today and the extent of it throughout suburbia everywhere. I believe this is a phenomenon that can be attampted to be explained by almopst any academioc discipline, but when taken all together, I think Robbin is only right in his last chapter when explaining that it perhaps, just sort of happened as a result of chaotic events and mentalities throughout American History, and not necessarily a product of anything signifant or symbolic, but certainly capitalism and conformitism/social human nature has influenced and maintained this random commonality throughout the nation. I believe that the rest cannot be explained, that it is phenomenon of evoltuion and mass-psychology that is simply too complex, (even for Robbins), to explain. Furthermore, of personal opinion, i believe that the environmentalism has almost nothing to do with it, and this reinforced by the fact that it simply has not prevailed as an issue amongst consumers or the industry that perpetuates and m,akes possible the associated environmental harm (though the later culprit can be understandable- their making a living afterall). I think the apolitical ecological thinking described so in depth by Robbins can be simply explained by his mentioning of the fact that people just simply do not have the time, or the assertion to make these choices as a priority over the ones that rule their life, like other people for example- Its simple and it makes sense.

Crazy Lawn People

 

Robbins comments that we, as humans, see ourselves as creatures of choice.  This is most notably in America. We show this choose in our environmental decisions like drive, walk or take the bus; recycle or toss it in the trash; or, put chemicals on our lawns or go natural.  Within this control is the forming of our own landscapes and, inherently, show a reflection of our culture. 

 “Landscapes are those assemblages of buildings, plants, machines, infrastructure, light, color, and should provide the backdrop for our myriad daily actions- can be viewed as being shaped by human action, but usually in the constantly reinforced patterns of our larger community.”

stripes in grass

 

 I think that there is an odd similarity to our lawns in this country.  When driving through the suburbs the lawns are more than likely all the same.  The manicured, green lawns with the parallel lines the lawn mower creates, a sprinkling of flowers, a tree and some bushes and perhaps a lawn ornament or two.   

The classy Flamingo

 

ach lawn is similar and yet different; in a similar way. There are “special” things that we my place in our lawns like bird baths, gazing balls, plastic flamingos, cut-outs of woman gardening and showing there underwear, deer, ducks that you can dress for all the sessions and occasions, fountains, the Virgin Mary, St. Francis of Assisi, stately lions and, my personal favorite, the garden gnome. These chincy lawn decorations are allowed in the bounds of our yards and are somewhat expected.  I would love to take a survey of how many well manicured lawns were lacking an ornament of some sort.  My argument is that our society uses lawn ornaments as a way to make our lawns unique, but because of our societal restrictions (cars, trash or couches are not seen by most of society as approved decorative items) on what we can place on our lawns we are once again forced into conformity. 

GNOMES!!

Come and join the Lawn People

Last year Paul Robbins came to OWU campus for the Sagan National Colloquium Lecture Series on “Cultivating a Green Campus,” to speak about his research and book on lawns.  The book Lawn People is a more in depth, comprehensive, and intriguing exploration of how the turf grass lawn and the modern day American became to be so close and how they affect one another.  I found Robbins’ work to be interesting and thought-provoking – especially because I grew up in Delawarean suburbia.  (The fact that Robbins is a Columbus, Ohio resident makes his work more relevant for me because I can closely relate to him and his work.)

Lawn People (Paul Robbins)

I think Paul Robbins did a good job of synthesizing a huge amount of data on American lawns, uses, and habits. I did not expect that this book would use such an analytical and scientific approach in different sections, so while it was a little dry and repetitive at times, I think it was nonetheless important to show empirical data and statistical analysis. He emphasizes chemical usage and spends a large amount of time looking at individual pesticides and inputs. Thus, at times, the book gets bogged down in nitty-gritty details instead of focusing on broader issues. However, Robbins central messages are still clear and he offers an effective portrait of ourselves. I particularly found interesting the section of the book devoted to alternatives to the current ways of “managing” the front lawn.

I grew up in an apartment building, so unfortunately (fortunately?) I don’t have any personal stories to share about a lawn. The only experience I’ve had with lawn work is helping my aunt out from time to time by mowing the lawn. Below are some key points and quotes that I found interesting from this book.

Breakfast of Biodiversity

(Vandermeer and Perfecto)

In reading this book, I was struck by the question ‘Who are the people that read this if not for a class?’  It seemed overly scientific for the general public, and overly political as well.

Although a lot of science was described, it is generally basic biology that is taught in most introductory classes.  I suport the authors’ endeavor to educate potential rainforest activists about how rainforest ecosystems really work and why they are so fragile and stable at the same time.  I spent a week in the Amazon Basin in Ecuador through an OWU Island Biology class two years ago, and much of the descriptions reminded me of my stay.  Although the area we visited was used more for ecotourism than plantations, it faced similar issues; we stayed in a rural lodge with thatched roofs, mosquito nets, and cold water.  The lights went off at 8:00 to save energy and there were tarantulas in the shower.  However, on the two-hour motorized canoe ride to the lodge, we passed some very upscale hotels that I’m sure hosted tourists who thought they were doing good things for the environment, but needed air conditioning, internet, and cable.

I enjoyed how the authors tried to tie all aspects of rainforest destruction together; no environmental problem has just one cause or can be solved with just one solution.  It is important to understand local culture, local and international politics, ecology, and corporations to face issues like this.

The description of rainforest production is especially helpful; it seems like a great place to grow things, but most nutrients are used so efficiently that anything dead does not go unused for long.  Bacteria and insects will take care of crumbs in minutes; there is such a fight for all the species to survive that foreign crops, unadapted to life in the rainforest and especially as planted in a monoculture, require extensive work to survive.

Slash and burn agriculture is the most traditional form and was practiced extensively by the Mayan culture. However, as the authors describe, growing populations require growing amounts of productive land and so little land is left fallow.  In ‘Dirt, ‘ Montgomery argues that soil can only support a growing population for so long; major civilizations generally show a decline within about a thousand years because they face famine and drought.  So as we try to portect as much of the forest as possible, we know this system is inefficient.  Farmers must learn to use already farmed land in the most productive way, including planting several crops together, allowing fields to lie fallow, and using legumes to return nitrogen to soil rather than synthetic fertilizer.

The authors argue that corporations making goods in places other than where they will be sold have no interest in paying workers well because they will not be potential consumers.  This is true; Ford gave his factory workers a new car every year so that they could advertise and become a part of the new America they were helping to build.  Workers that have no investment in their product are less efficient and more costly overall.

On page 85-86, the authors are critical of recent programs to ‘rebuild the rainforest.’  How does one go about doing this?  I have been led to believe that many such organizations are simply buying up pieces of the forest that have yet to be turned to agriculture and keeping them safe, but it would be interesting to know how fast the forest ‘reclaims’ land that has been damaged.

 

Breakfast of Biodiversity (Vandermeer and Perfecto)

I enjoyed Vandermeer and Perfecto’s incredibly detailed and informative work. Two years ago, with one of OWU’s spring break service trips, I had the chance to visit Nicaragua and to work with a group called Sustainable Harvest International. It was really interesting to read about some of the things we saw first hand, particularly with regards to Nicaragua’s R.A.A.S. region and the area surrounding Bluefields. The pictures posted here were taken during this trip. While it was really informative to read about the challenges facing nations in Central America, particularly Costa Rica, I would have liked to learn more about rain forests in other regions of the world, such as West Africa and Southeast Asia. While there are many universal themes that can be drawn from this book and applied elsewhere, it would have been interesting to read about the specific challenges other areas face. I particularly found valuable the ways in which this book looked at the issue of rain forest destruction within the context of social justice. Indeed, the preservation of rain forests does not exist in a vacuum and should not be treated as an issue separate from the challenges humans face. Below are some of the author’s main points, things I found interesting, and pictures from Nicaragua with commentary and observations.

Breakfast of Biodiversity – a lot to chew on! By Becca and Bridget

John Vandermeer and Ivette Perfecto’s second edition of Breakfast of Biodiversity is a well crafted and enlightening book that takes an objective and effective look at rain forest destruction, deforestation, and life in Southern and Central American, with a special focus on the nation of Costa Rica.  Vandermeer and Perfecto’s analysis explores both the scientific and political aspects of resource use and ran forest destruction, taking pains to explore not only what is happening but including a sociological look at why certain events are occurring.

Being Idle for the Environment’s sake

I enjoyed this book, but hey who wouldn’t enjoy someone encouraging them to step back, take a break, consider what you’re working for and why, and just do a little enjoying of life.

Learning How to be Idle

Tom Hodgkinson’s book How to be Idle was an entertaining, yet not realistic, account of how people should lead and ‘idle’ life.  Using a creative ’schedule’ to outline how to be idle – a day in the life of a true idler – Hodgkinson covers a variety of topics ranging from when to get up, when to go to the pub and drink, whether or not to have tea, and how to call in sick for work.  Although many of these ideas sound appealing to the stressed and tired worker, loafing around is not always the solution to stress and tiredness.

Hodgkinson argues that some of the world’s greatest thinkers were loafers – sitting around coffee shops talking, sleeping late, and even just staring at the ceiling laying in bed at 11:00am.  He writes about Walt Whitman wandering around the city of New York writing poetry and refusing to take up ‘normal’ work.  I would argue, however, that Whitman was able to ‘work’ at his craft and be successful enough to enjoy his idling lifestyle.  Do not get me wrong, I am not saying that we should discourage everyone but the most talented from leading a life that is stress free and relaxing.  However, I am arguing that while Whitman’s actions would have been relaxing and idling to a cursory observer, he was working at his craft. 

I would argue that we should not all stop our ‘daily grind’ and begin idling to create great thinkers and amazing art; instead we should as a society embrace the idea that an individual should love their work.  Success needs to be measured by a person’s contentment in life not the amount of money they make.  Some people, myself included, are only truly content when we are working from dawn until dusk.  Others would rather work for about three hours a day and spend the rest idling.  I respect both lifestyle choices, but I think Hodgkinson needs to recognize differences in situation and temper when doling out advice on how to live a happier life.

In my personal situation, I would not take Hodgkinson’s advice on sleeping in late and just laying in bed thinking.  Like my mother, I thrive in getting up with the sun and watching sunrises while sipping coffee (another taboo object in the life of an idler) or hot chocolate.  It is at this time of day that I feel the most spiritually connected to the world around me.  If I get up and go exercise for half an hour to an hour, I feel even more refreshed and rearing to go!  When I am on ‘vacation’ and at home, I actually get up earlier than I would at school when I have pressing engagements to attend to.

Although I respect Hodgkinson’s want to choose his own vices – in his case smoking and drinking – I would also not join in these pursuits.  I am not a teetotaler, but I believe that smoking is a downright stupid habit that is like slowly committing suicide and drinking in moderation is fine, but for many people (like my family who has a history of addictive personalities) moderation is not respected when it comes to alcohol. 

Generally, Hodgkinson’s critique of society that it creates a ‘hive’ effect where people act like bees swarming around all day without independent intention or purpose is relatively accurate.  Yet, I challenge Hodgkinson to consider the individual who actually thrives in a busy, filled life.

When reading How to be Idle” I thought of this John Denver song, “Poems and Prayers and Promises.” I have linked both the ‘normal‘ version, and the version that includes muppets!  I hope you will enjoy what the song is saying and if you are interested in becoming an idler like Hodgkinson will explore this type of ‘western’ idling – out in nature by a campfire with your closest friends and family.