Letters

Across our community, outdated and unnecessary landscaping practices are very loud in the way they undermine the health of our natural world. The cycle of constant lawn “care,” as practiced in much of modern suburbia, is less about nurturing nature and more about waging a slow, expensive war against it. Fueled by a vision of uniform green perfection, it damages the very ecosystems we rely on — and it’s a loop that runs season after season.

The cycle: It starts with watering — gallons of treated drinking water sprayed over grass that evolved to survive drought by going dormant. When I was a kid, it was common for grass to turn yellow at the end of summer and bounce back with autumn rains. Today, we treat that natural cycle as a problem to “fix,” coaxing perpetual, artificial growth.

That lush, chemically propped-up turf then demands frequent mowing, creating constant noise, air pollution and stress for wildlife. Leaf blowing strips away organic matter that would have fed the soil, while hedge trimming removes habitat for birds and pollinators. When fungi, mold or insects appear, pesticides and fungicides are applied in blanket fashion — wiping out beneficial life along with the so-called problem. Overwatered, shallow-rooted grass becomes even more vulnerable to drought and disease, starting the whole process over again.

The damage: This cycle erodes soil health, pollutes waterways with chemical runoff, and drains aquifers with needless irrigation. Gas-powered tools release fine particulate matter that harms lungs, not just for workers but for pets and children. The obsession with “artist rendering” perfection replaces native plants with non-native turf, driving out fireflies, frogs and countless pollinators.

Breaking the pattern: Perfection doesn’t exist, and the attempt to achieve it is harming our pets, children and the natural world. The responsibility lies not with landscaping companies but with homeowners and local officials who must take ownership of the land they govern and own.

Sustainable landscaping — watering only when necessary, planting native and drought-tolerant species, and reducing mowing — cuts costs and heals ecosystems. It is not too radical to propose urban farming instead of lawns. Landscaping companies could stay in business by transforming and refocusing their efforts, and water use, toward vegetable gardens in every backyard, creating healthier soil, stronger communities, and a resilient local food system.

In short: The endless battle for a “perfect” lawn is not only unwinnable — it’s unnecessary. Letting nature do what it has perfected for millennia will give us cleaner air, richer soil and a backyard alive with the sound of the real world, not just engines and blowers.

Claes Brondal

Sag Harbor