Renowned Entomologist Says ‘Get Rid of Your Lawn’ • Hacker News Board

Re: Renowned Entomologist Says ‘Get Rid of Your Lawn’

#111

Post by harperlee » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 11:09 AM UTC

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #81

andrewg wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn’t that true of kids in general?

It might be, but that's not the anecdote they were sharing? In my limited experience (ex cub leader [mixed sex groups], church kids helper, worked with children for 15 years; kids and nieces/nephews of my own) most boys behaviour declines rapidly if you don't "run them", but most girls aren't affected in the same way. On our scout camps (mixed sex, mixed age, for the last 20 years at least) in free time the girls _te…

Just wanted to highlight that I like it a lot whenever people provide context and limitations to their comments. Very measured and thus easy to take at face value. Thanks a lot!

Re: Renowned Entomologist Says ‘Get Rid of Your Lawn’

#112

Post by rubidium » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 11:11 AM UTC

mcv wrote: post #100

rbirkby wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A friend once explained that boys are like dogs. They need exercising twice a day. A back yard and a ball are sufficient for that. A paved area is more likely than lawn to provide yet more trips to ER.

I wish I could get my son to exercise twice a day. He hates going outside. He prefers his exercise running around in Minecraft, and if he does get it in real life, it's jumping around the living room.

Be a parent. Set rules and consequences. Outside time or no Minecraft seems like a no brainer. Interact and get him to join you in things you like doing outside. He’ll probably hate it for 1 month or 1 year, but it’s your responsibility.

Re: Renowned Entomologist Says ‘Get Rid of Your Lawn’

#113

Post by acvny » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 11:15 AM UTC

Totally agree! Or at least don't use the pesticides! Pluck the weeds by hand. I am baffled when I see people use pesticides around their houses.

Some of my neighbours would even spray a single dandelion growing in between pavement stones with pesticide spray.

Re: Renowned Entomologist Says ‘Get Rid of Your Lawn’

#114

Post by thaumasiotes » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 11:22 AM UTC

crawfordcomeaux wrote: post #109

thaumasiotes wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is not obvious to me why I'd want my front yard to be teeming with insects.

Because your world depends on them.

Get back to me when you can actually show that my world depends on a variety of insects contained within a single square mile.

Re: Renowned Entomologist Says ‘Get Rid of Your Lawn’

#115

Post by ascar » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 11:28 AM UTC

Ma8ee wrote: post #69

rahuldottech wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ehhhhh. I disagree. That's too much of a generalisation. Different people, different interests. Many kids do like to exercise. Many prefer staying indoor.

But all kids need exercise every day: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guid...

Reading this, the 2 hours of physical exercise per week in school make a lot more sense now from an physiological point of view.

I always just took them as fun time and some kids took them as annoying burden that should be avoided. I not once thought about that they are necessary to develop my body and motor skills.

I always took Judo training as a near perfect way to improve my movement skills though.

Re: Renowned Entomologist Says ‘Get Rid of Your Lawn’

#116

Post by MattRix » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 11:33 AM UTC

hvidgaard wrote: post #97

vanderZwan wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I have to do a lot less maintenance, and when I do it's more varied and interesting. The irony is that people think a lawn is easier to maintain because it looks simpler

If you buy a robot lawn mower, it is.

Maintaining a lawn is more than just mowing it. There's aerating/seeding, watering, pulling-weeds/pest-spraying, etc.

The mowing is the easiest part, at least for my relatively small lawn.

Re: Renowned Entomologist Says ‘Get Rid of Your Lawn’

#117

Post by krageon » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 11:35 AM UTC

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #76

Pfhreak wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Huh, interesting. I have a kid and I'm grateful we gave up our lawn. She plants in the spring, harvests, cooks, and preserves with us. She's excited to make pickles, jam, squash, pumpkins, corn, etc from things she's grown and tended to. She even got to pick out some of the flowers and make her own little square. Watching her step out to grab some blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries is one of the best feelings…

Where does she play ball games, set up a paddling pool, and wrestle? I'd agree if you have a house big enough to have a playroom, and have open space close by, it's probably easy enough. Our lawn is kinda a tiny, tiny, wildflower meadow, ie it's not cut much. The bees love the Clover.

In what decadent universe is a pool expected or even necessary?

Re: Renowned Entomologist Says ‘Get Rid of Your Lawn’

#118

Post by toastal » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 11:37 AM UTC

harimau777 wrote: post #110

Are there environmentally friendly alternatives to the traditional grass lawn if one uses their lawn for sports, BBQ, and play? Maybe just allowing grass to grow more naturally rather than using pesticides and removing weeds?

Going to a park is a reasonable thing.

Re: Renowned Entomologist Says ‘Get Rid of Your Lawn’

#119

Post by FooHentai » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 11:40 AM UTC

larnmar wrote: post #40

_qwfv wrote: post #25

Getting rid of our lawn and growing other stuff has been amazingly fulfilling. I have fresh produce most of the year, I've got honeybees and bumblebees and mason bees coming around. I have to do a lot less maintenance, and when I do it's more varied and interesting. Everything from fruit trees to berries, flowers to vegetables, herbs to herbal teas like chamomile. Strongly recommend looking at what will grow in your…

Since having kids I’ve been realising that a lot of the things in life that other people do, that have never made sense to me, suddenly make a whole lot more sense in the context of kids. With a kid, I’m suddenly super grateful for my little lawn.

You made me think back over my childhood which was pretty idyllic in terms of outside time and non-supervision.

You know, lawns were simply not a major factor in that, outside of perhaps once-in-a-year water gun fights with some neighbor kids, the wilderness held far more appeal. Back-lot tracks, untilled fields, marginal scrubland running along stream beds. That was where the majority of my 'green time' took place.

I do remember a few families around the village that had completely unkept, wilderness yards. They provided far more entertainment than any with manicured lawns.

Re: Renowned Entomologist Says ‘Get Rid of Your Lawn’

#120

Post by cowsandmilk » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 11:43 AM UTC

MattRix wrote: post #116

hvidgaard wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you buy a robot lawn mower, it is.

Maintaining a lawn is more than just mowing it. There's aerating/seeding, watering, pulling-weeds/pest-spraying, etc. The mowing is the easiest part, at least for my relatively small lawn.

> There's aerating/seeding, watering, pulling-weeds/pest-spraying, etc.

If you have a grass that matches where you live and don’t mind your lawn occasionally being brown, none of that is needed.