There are clear benefits to organic gardening, but are there situations in which an organic solution can do more harm than the chemical alternative? As much as I hate to say it, there may be some grey area when it comes to the best course of action for eradicating my tenacious thistle. I found a safer alternative to glyphosate, though safer doesn’t mean safe.
After several years of trying to replace my turf lawn with clover, I’m no longer sure clover is what I want. Native alternatives to turf grass can require a massive amount of time, effort, and maybe some unsavory chemicals to ensure a successful conversion. While I won’t be doing that any time soon, I still hope that what I have is “better,” if not “best.”
My never-ending battle in the garden continues, this time with an opportunistic, invasive weed that is often the first to take over in the absence of established plants: thistle. There are different kinds of thistle, and it is important to know what you’re dealing with before you take action because, like me, you could be doing the wrong thing and making your job harder.
Compassion for animals is often cited as the most important reason to go vegan. It is why I originally went vegetarian, but the extra step toward veganism seems unnecessary if the animals are treated well as they produce milk, lay eggs, or make honey. In fact, there are some foods that are vegan by definition but that can have some unpleasant effects on animals.
I know that gardening is a lot of work, but I also know that it brings me a lot of joy – eventually. There are weeds that need to come out and plants that need to go in, and I try to make choices by considering the impacts on the pollinators I am trying to feed and the healthy ecosystem I am trying to create.
Our extensive weeds neither know or care whose property they’re on, and our neighbors all use heavy-duty weed killers that I don’t want in my yard. Since the best defense is a good offense, I took it upon myself to preemptively clear my neighbors’ weeds (getting their permission first) trying out several organic methods on a range of weeds, including poison ivy.
My ongoing war with weeds in our yard is exhausting and neverending. While I’ve made some good progress in the front yard over the last few years, the jungle back along the property line is made up of some truly formidable opponents that won’t give up. The worst part is that weeds don’t respect property lines, so my theater of battle has expanded.
While buying local food is beneficial for local farmers, it doesn’t make that much of a difference to the environment. Transportation-related greenhouse gases are a drop in the bucket compared to GHGs associated with land use, farming, and methane produced by cows. Looking at the numbers shows that it’s what you eat, not where it comes from that makes the biggest impact.
Monarch butterfly populations are dropping at alarming rates on both coasts, and we may soon see them on the endangered species list. Their habitats and food sources are in danger from illegal logging, industrial herbicides, climate change, and urban expansion. There are plenty of steps we can take to help these beautiful creatures, and it involves more than just planting milkweed.
We’ve examined both sides of the issue, and it’s still less than clear. Are juries deciding cases based on fear instead of facts? Are scientists being muzzled? What happens if we get rid of glyphosate for good – is it a win-win, or will there be some losers? Here are some final thoughts, organic alternatives, and ways to get involved, if you so choose.