Reducing CO2 by doing nothing...what could be easier?!

Being the first day of summer, it seems fitting to talk about doing nothing, relaxing in the hammock on a warm day and sipping a tall, cool glass of iced tea. Oddly enough, instead of that enticing scenario, I see my neighbors spending the bulk of their free summer days engaged in the national suburban pastime of mowing their lawns. To me, it seems like an onerous task, and in fact, a great deal of grumbling goes on over the backyard fence about this weekly (sometimes twice weekly!) chore. So my enlightened suggestion is just stop doing it - sit back, relax and watch the grass grow for a change. While I realize never mowing the lawn again could be impractical if you aren't ready to develop the only meadow on your street, you can dramatically reduce the time you spend trimming your grass, still have a soft green (and healthier) lawn, and reduce your carbon emissions in the process. A few fast facts:

• Shearing your grass to a golf-course height actually creates a breeding grown for insects and disease and helps dry out the roots, inevitably leading to even more time spent scowling at (and trying to remedy) those unsightly brown spots. Letting the grass grow taller will eliminate many of these issues and make your grass softer underfoot. After all, the last thing you want to do is start spreading caustic pesticides to eliminate insects and disease: http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/ReducePesticideUse.html
• Gas-powered lawn mower emissions are responsible for an estimated 5% of our annual air pollution output, producing on average (depending on just how big your mower is) about 4.5 pounds of carbon per hour. Check out this tool to calculate your mower's emissions: http://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com/faq-environment.htm#calculate
• Unless you're using an electric or push mower, gassing up to mow the grass is an increasingly expensive proposition, making not mowing one of your easiest money-saving exercises. Using an electric mower is a great emission-saving solution, and there are increasingly good (and competitively priced) options available.

A great alternative to avoid any time spent maintaining your lawn is simply converting the grass over to flower beds, wildflowers or wooded areas. Then you can spend your lazy summer afternoons watching the butterflies and the birds, instead of cutting the grass. So when the weekend rolls around, go set up the hammock, grab a cold glass of whatever suits you, and celebrate by just doing nothing...now that's the way to spend your summer afternoon!