[bennelson]

One thing that always makes me cringe when I see it is the invasion of little yellow flags on people's lawns warning to keep off the grass due to pesticide applications.

The small yellow flags usually have a symbol of children playing, and the universal "don't do this" of a circle and crossbar.

Hmmmm. I don't know about you, but I thought lawns were for playing on!

To make it even worse, I live within eyeshot of a lake. It seems that as you get closer to the lake, property values go up, and so does the likelihood of the homeowner to use a lawn service, complete with pesticide application. That means the places closest to the lake, are also the ones most likely to pollute it!

Meanwhile, I have a few more weeds on my lawn (or bio-diversity as I like to call it) and I always leave the lawn a bit longer, so it's root system can stay long and healthy and survive droughts better. (Houses closest to the lake seem to water their lawns more as well!)

I propose that we come up with some sort of a sign indicating that our lawns are INTENTIONALLY all-natural, drought-resistant, & pesticide-free. This could be a bit of a parody of those "keep off the grass" signs. Instead, the logo might show happy children and animals on a lawn, or simply indicate that "THIS IS A PESTICIDE-FREE YARD"

I imagine this sign being just a bit larger than the "keep off the grass" ones so that it is easily readable by walkers and cyclists. It would also be made from durable, recycled/recyclable outdoor materials.

Does anyone agree with this whole concept? What would you imagine to point out an "eco-friendly" yard vs the typical chemical lawn?

I could see this as having the potential to become a national campaign. We all have to start somewhere. Why not at home?

-Ben Nelson