The Seed 9: Reduce Your Ecological Footprint

Fear not brave gardeners, I’m not suggesting that you go out and get a smaller pair of garden clogs to squeeze into. Instead I’d ask folks everywhere to examine the impact of our lawns, landscapes, and lifestyles on the local ecosystem. Think of your yard as a type of footprint that falls on the earth. Now ask yourself if that footfall is delicate and well placed, or are you just plodding along squishing whatever’s in your path? I know I’m preaching to the eco-friendly choir here, but I figure even a free range organic choir could use some good hymns when they go rambling into the world singing their big green ideas. The big idea here is that perhaps with a little honest examination we can find ways at home to reduce the size of our own footprint on the environment.

Oh Really???

One of the most intriguing things I encounter on a regular basis is hearing folks talk about sustainable concepts like they’re so new-fangled, out there, or fringe. Oh yeah, I get it, because the idea that we should keep living as a species, and that the earth should not die simply because we want luxury, that’s just so far fetched. This always leads me to ask the question,

What is so wierd about people not wanting to kill themselves?

Whenever I encounter a mass of folks blindly harming themselves with their own philosophies, customs, or beliefs I sit and wonder who might be profiting from these seemingly self-inflicted wounds, but then that’s just silly, who could possibly profit from millions of people pouring unneeded dangerous chemicals on their lawns every year??? Certainly not we organic gardeners, I can’t make a dime trying to sell my happy healthy clients on new-fangled, out-there, fringe ideas like better life through chemistry!

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