This page is for MEMBERS to vent at the stupidity of the 'toxic green lawn' syndrome that has taken over the mindless masses all over the world. It is to vent at the ecological disasters we have caused in the name if 'fitting in' to this anti-nature world of ours. Weather it be about destruction of rain forest, the polluting of our water supply, the poisoning of our air or the polluting of our oceans, this is YOUR forum.
Dandelions
By Alan Russo
The Dandelion is the quintessential scapegoat for all
that the mindless masses consider to be weeds on their flawless toxic green
sacred lawns. People spend billions of dollars a year poisoning their home
environment, their children, their pets, their neighbors and everyone’s water supply to kill off this
beautiful little flower. All because of societal pressure to fit into some pre
conceived mold perpetrated by some unknown authority over their lives. Every
Spring you see advertisements on the television, in the newspapers and
magazines and on billboards of this country featuring the Dandelion as the evil
representative to all that is wrong with your lawn (and you, if you don’t care
about such things). I’ve seen it stepped on, hit with a hammer, sprayed with
poison, used to show how one poison is better and works faster than the
competitors poison (because having a Dandelion on your lawn for one second
longer than your neighbor shows you really don’t care about how your lawn looks
and shows you’re a very bad neighbor and you don’t care about yours or your
neighbor’s property values).
Why is it that people are willing to poison their homes, their children, our water supply and our whole environment to kill off a beautiful flower? Why is it that most people just follow what is considered to be "normal" even though it will kill them and their children and their children's children and cause untold suffering in the form of things like cancer, immune insufficiency disease, and Parkinson disease. It just blows my mind that people are willing to destroy all things natural with out realizing, THEY ARE PART OF THIS COMPLEX WEB OF LIFE that exists on this planet. How did we get this superiority complex that makes us think we are above nature?
As you can see I have more questions than answers when it comes to figuring out the human condition and why people will blindly follow that which will destroy them in the long run. It has been the same since time began, only now, we have the technology to completely destroy not only ourselves and our children but to destroy a large percentage of life on the planet.
I just observe and try to educate, it seems all I can do. At least as an Environmental Educator I have a chance to make a difference in how the next generation looks at their world. If you can change just one child's perspective, just think of how many people that child will influence in their lives.
An estimated 80 MILLION pounds of pesticides are used every year to eradicate Dandelions! (ever wonder where all this poison ends up?)
My father loved dandelions. He encouraged the children to blow the mature blooms and spread the flowers throughout the yard. We lived on a farm and thus weren't subject to suburbia's idea of a "perfect" lawn. Personally, I am thrilled each spring when I see the first dandelions and johnny-jump-ups(wild violets) appear in my yard. This is the signal that winter is finally over.
ReplyDeleteI loved to blow dandelion seeds when I was a child. As a grownup in a "nice" neighborhood, we are expected to keep our lawns looking like a well tended golf course. If only the neighbors would be satisfied with it looking like a beloved park tended by a nature lover. I don't use poisons on my yard, but I do try to keep the beautiful dandelions to a small roar using natural means - mostly just keeping my grass full and healthy. But, when my grandchildren come to visit and blow the seeds I join in the fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments!
ReplyDeleteI remember those days also, when the world seemed much more innocent. A great way to control Dandelions, especially if you have a natural lawn like you say, is to dig them and eat them!
Peace
This is a poem by a famous Irish poet, Patrick Kavanagh. What I remember about is is the reference to the Dandelion opening its unloved heart to everyone. Since I read it first, about 35 years ago, I have had a fondness for Danelions.
ReplyDeleteSpraying the Potatoes
by PatrickKavanagh
The barrels of blue potato-spray
Stood on a headland in July
Beside an orchard wall where roses
Were young girls hanging from the sky.
The flocks of green potato stalks
Were blossom spread for sudden flight,
The Kerr's Pinks in frivelled blue,
The Arran Banners wearing white.
And over that potato-field
A lazy veil of woven sun,
Dandelions growing on headlands, showing
Their unloved hearts to everyone.
And I was there with a knapsack sprayer
On the barrel's edge poised. A wasp was floating
Dead on a sunken briar leaf
Over a copper-poisoned ocean.
The axle-roll of a rut-locked cart
Broke the burnt stick of noon in two.
An old man came through a cornfield
Remembering his youth and some Ruth he knew.
He turned my way. 'God further the work'.
He echoed an ancient farming prayer.
I thanked him. He eyed the potato drills.
He said: 'You are bound to have good ones there'.
We talked and our talk was a theme of kings,
A theme for strings. He hunkered down
In the shade of the orchard wall. O roses
The old man dies in the young girl's frown.
And poet lost to potato-fields,
Remembering the lime and copper smell
Of the spraying barrels he is not lost
Or till blossomed stalks cannot weave a spell.
Interesting Poem, historical yes, a little scary though: "Copper- poisoned ocean" talk about poisoning the planet! I guess they had to do what they had to do, the only thing they knew. Is this still the practice in Ireland?
DeleteOccasionally yes but organic is very much increasing. I grow my organic potatoes in the back garden. The poem is scary and was written by a great poet who accuratley recorded rural life in Ireland at the time, early to mid 20th century. He had "escaped" it to live the life of an exile in The Big City (Dublin) 50 miles away! He never forgave his rural past for (in another poem) "O stoney grey soil of Monaghan, You burgled my bank of youth". He seemed to appreciate Dandelions though!
ReplyDeleteThanks man, I love to hear from people in far away places. Glad to hear you are Organic. Will be putting in my potatoes in as soon as the danger of frost has past (should have by now though we just got a frost and it killed all my squash and cucumber plants, bummer!) Be Well
ReplyDeletePeace