Murphy provides tidbits:
A recent piece in The New Yorker traces the history and harmful environmental consequences of the American lawn. It credits two people as the key leaders in raising awareness of the problem: Rachel Carson, author of the watershed book Silent Spring, and Lorrie Otto of Milwaukee, founder of the Wild Ones. The Wild Ones now have chapters in 12 states.
[It may be true that R. Carson is the founding queen of Junk-Science. It is certainly true that banning DDT has led to the horrific return of malaria to SE Asia--and that her "scientific" study of DDT is comparable to AlGore's "science." IOW, folks, it is NOT science...]
Otto is the subject of the First Person profile in the August issue of Milwaukee Magazine (it’s on newsstands or you can order it online). She was a leader in helping push Wisconsin to become the first state to ban DDT back in 1970. [No actual scientists were consulted by Tony Earl & Co.] The Wild Ones promote the use of native plants and wildflowers in American yards, rather than the lawns which are typically supported with a wide range of chemicals, all documented in detail in The New Yorker.
The story reports that lawns are growing at the rate of 600 square miles a year and require two hundred gallons of water per person, per day. It’s a fascinating, but alarming piece.
Does your lawn "alarm" you? Then feel free to substitute the allergenics espoused by Ms. Otto.
And don't be surprised to wake up to the smell of Agent Orange.
Over the past three weekends I have torn up half my lawn and replaced it with a garden and a patio. I have now reached my goal of having a lawn small enough that I can get rid of my gas mower and replace it with a smaller pushmower. Does anyone need a mower for some target practice?
ReplyDeleteThe main motivator for a smaller mower was to make space in my small garage for a snow blower, and I like the look of a nice patio with a garden over an expanse of grass.
Snowblower?
ReplyDeleteYou're going to POLLUTE THE AIR?
A nice deck/landscaping is a good thing.
Sometimes, daddio, you are so obtuse. Even I know that anti-malarial use of DDT was never banned. Why do you keep repeating the lies?
ReplyDeleteHere are two links to reputable sites, unlike those whacky places you visit for your info. Two of hundreds, btw.
http://timlambert.org/2005/06/ddt10/
http://crookedtimber.org/2007/09/22/defending-rachel-carson/
Let me add my voice on the DDT issue. DDT was banned as an agricultural pesticide, not for indoor anti-malarial use. There is no real doubt that old Drop Dead Twice used in massive crop-dusting operations caused the thinning of bird's eggs. Additionally, many pests had developed immunity to DDT. (It's like antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bugs reproduce in such huge numbers and so quickly that the ones immune to the chemicals quickly predominate.)
ReplyDeleteIndoor use of DDT is a different story entirely. It has a long-lasting effect, even without being reapplied often, and kills mosquitoes at a point in their life cycle such that resistence becomes unlikely.
Karenqci, your history doesn't comport with the one given by WHO itself:
ReplyDelete"Nearly thirty years after phasing out the widespread use of indoor spraying with DDT and other insecticides to control malaria, the World Health Organization (WHO) today announced that this intervention will once again play a major role in its efforts to fight the disease."
So WHO "phased out" use of DDT, indoors, in the very early 1980's.
Who are you trying to kid?
OS, perhaps DDT was not "banned" for indoor use--but since only 3 countries actually had the resources to produce the stuff, it was not exactly available easily.
ReplyDeleteRead the WHO history if you prefer.
Snowblower?
ReplyDeleteYou're going to POLLUTE THE AIR?
But, I am getting rid of a gas powered mower to make room for a gas powered snowblower. My garage has it's own little self sufficient cap and trade economy. McCain and Gore would be so proud of me ;-)