The Cost of a Green Lawn

by Gwyn Whittaker, Owner of Greenfare

When I was growing up, our lawn was green—but in many shades. Dandelions, plantain, chickweed, purslane, and other useful plants were mowed alongside grass, creating a diverse landscape that fed bees, birds, and butterflies. I remember picking dandelions in front of my dad’s lawnmower and placing their bright yellow cheer on the kitchen table.

That changed with the arrival of ChemLawn in the late 1960s. By 1992, it was acquired by ServiceMaster, the parent company of Terminix, and rebranded as TruGreen, reflecting growing public awareness of the dangers posed by chemical lawn treatments. While ChemLawn was among the first to bring chemical warfare to our yards, it certainly wasn't the last. Today, the lawn care industry is a $300 billion market, and more glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) is applied to lawns than to all U.S. farmland.

Beginning in the 1990s, industry lobbying led to pesticide preemption laws in 46 states, including Virginia. These laws prevent localities from enacting their own pesticide restrictions. Maryland, which does not have pesticide preemption, took action. Montgomery County banned glyphosate on public and private lawns, citing concerns for public health, pets, and pollinators.

And for good reason. Homes with chemically treated lawns have been linked to increased risks of cancer, fertility issues, autoimmune diseases, and learning disabilities. A 2015 Pediatrics meta-analysis found a significant risk of leukemia in children exposed to outdoor herbicides. Other studies tie lawn chemicals to ADHD, cognitive delays, and conditions in adults including Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, dementia, and various cancers. Pets are at risk, too: dogs on treated lawns are four to six times more likely to develop bladder cancer and 70% more likely to develop malignant lymphoma.

Pollinators suffer as well. Herbicides not only kill bees outright, but also destroy their food sources, contributing to alarming colony collapses.

So what can we do? Skip the chemical lawn. Follow the lead of Montgomery County: Overseed with grass, and let go of the dream of a flawless green monocrop, a look that comes at a toxic cost.

Links available at the online version of The Reston Letter.