I have a theory. I believe all ecological problems in the world could be fixed by acting consciously towards the soil we are responsible for. It can be the small patch on your yard or extensive acres of land, doesn't matter.
Healthy soil is the basis for any place in which life thrives. Most people think we have to plant trees. Others think we have to plant our food. I think those are valid options to helping the Earth, but I am convinced that looking after the health of the soil is even more important.
Why?
Because healthy soil will be the perfect place for the seeds of trees and even edible vegetables to fall and thrive. Just take care of the soil and let the rest happen the way Nature knows best!
So, getting back to the title of this post. Almost everyone I know loves a mowed lawn. They see a place with short grass and immediately praise the "order" and tidiness of the spot.
For me, it is a place where there can be no thriving of life. Where all the water evaporates in sunny days because there is no grass to protect the soil. Where worms can't loosen the soil and enrich it with hummus because there isn't enough moisture for them. Where insects lack shelter and where dry soil tends to gather to many minerals for plant life to handle. To me, mowed lawn is death.
I have been criticized for letting the grass grow tall on my yard. Perhaps I over do it and maybe you can keep a little control, lower the height of the grass and leave the cuts on the ground so they still act as cover. But the smile of neighbors and their approval are not enough make me leave the soil with no protection.
Now, the real problem comes from these people that not only have a mowed lawn, but also want it to look green and shiny all summer. The issue is that the water doesn't just appear out of nowhere. It is taken from streams and rivers that are supposed to provide for a whole ecosystem, and here it is out of cycle just to see a stupid fucking boring green mowed lawn. Pardon my french but it had to be said.
Another similar crime is the sweeping of fallen leaves in autumn. All cause the streets gotta look clean! We civilized people can't allow our beautiful cement be covered in those nasty remnants of nature! Do you want us to look like savages?
Again, fallen leaves a protection of the soil. They keep it moist and fed with nutrients. People should at least let them be under the tree from where they fell! But no, its better to, you know, spend a shitload watering the trees in summer and then declare droughts, and raise the water bill each time a bit more.
What really irritates me of these situations is that people feel so proud of taking care of these things. However, I do understand that these are culturally imposed habits and that they are born out of the lack of information and consciousness.
I believe that thanks to the abundant knowledge being shared on the internet, there will be interesting changes. I have actually seen people covering the soil with woodchips and bark in some places, though they are very few. Most people stick to the good old mowed lawn, or fill everything up with cement. They just don't want anything to do with soil. I also know many who go as far as spraying chemicals to eliminate all life on the ground.
Imagine if all places had healthy soils. Trees would grow super fast and edible plants would flourish by the lots. Insects would have food and promote thriving ecosystems where pollinators and birds would have a place. And don't get me started with the fungi! So many mushrooms would appear and they have a lot to offer to us!
If you have any amount of soil under your care then try your best to care for it. Let the grass and weeds grow, or if you don't like tall grass then mulch it up really well. But don't be part of the destructive "tidiness" that they have educated us to follow.