Al Gore has done more for the environmental movement than any proponent in history. Need proof? Using organic lawn care treatments to remove weeds have literally become a national fad. From homeowners to lawn care services, those in charge of landscaping are switching to eco-friendly methods in droves. And you should, too.
Weed Control in the Numbers
Most homeowners fail to realize the effects that the war on weeds has on the delicate environmental balance. Many of us simple fire up the weed eater or mix a concoction of hazardous chemicals. Easyearth, a website dedicated eco-savvy landscaping techniques, reveals several eye-opening statistics concerning the nationwide use of weed control methods:
- A weed eater emits 21 times more hydrocarbon levels than a typical auto
- Suburban lawns received 10 times the chemical pesticide per acre as farmland
- 60 percent to 90 percent of earthworms in the average lawn are killed by pesticides
- Lawns and gardens receive on average 70 million tons of pesticides
Landscapers are Making the Switch
If you've never heard of 'compost tea,' you're probably not alone. This organic lawn treatment contains a unique mixture of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa designed to attack weeds at their source. And more lawn service companies are buying in to the concept. According to MSNBC, the number of all-organic households using organic fertilizers and weed and insect controls is expected to hit 10 percent by 2009. And while the organic route may cost 10 percent to 15 percent more than traditional pesticides and take longer to show results, the lessened impact on the environment may be worth the extra hassle.
The Bottom Line
New technologies in organic lawn treatments are making them a feasible option for homeowners stumped by persistent weeds.
Sources
Kelly Richardson has obsessive compulsive lawn disorder and is
afflicted with the need to share his knowledge with the world. Kelly
writes lawn columns for a variety of home and garden magazines and
e-zines.
