Raise the Hammer

To WRCU2 - "My initial reactions were that this post is more appropriately filed under EXTREMISM rather than HEALING GAIA".

REALLY? Because someone wanted to plant some flowers and herbs, and refuses to go along with the 'cult' of a perfect lawn (and all the negative consequences like fertilizer, pesticides, noise and air pollution from lawn mowers see below for details).

And you call Paul and Extremist??

This statement says al lot about where you are coming from: "My riding mower has six settings from 1 to 6 inches and I feel that an 8 inch maximum is very generous." Well how very generous of you to declare what is 'generous' for plant height.

You joke about emitting CO2 "...hold your breath while you mow; We cannot emit too much excessive CO2, can we? All green life be damned." but you sit on a riding mower. Right. That makes complete sense. You may not be aware but small engines (lawn mowers, gas powered leaf blowers, snow throwers) do not have pollution controls like automobiles do, do. In fact one article that summarizes many others makes claims that one hour of push mowing (gasoline) = driving a car up to 350 miles. Worse for riding mowers like you. Others claim less mileage but it's splitting hairs. Because my opinions are based on FACTS and SCIENCE, (vs. straight-from-the-gut feelings) I will reference that claim here: https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/colu...

FULL DISCLOSURE: I own and use a gasoline-powered snow thrower(rarely these days probably due to warmer winters) (ah, that would be something called 'climate change'). I use it sparingly and shovel when I can. Both my wife and I hurt our backs about a decade ago shovelling very heavy snow so we made the decision to purchase. However, since lawns are generally useless unless you are a croquet fanatic, we removed our lawns and planted shrubs and native plants that require no fertilizers, pesticides, or even water except in extreme circumstances - water I harvest from my garage roof.

Your comment is full of contradictions if not oddities:

• i.e you plant milkweed to help the Monarchs (good) then state, oddly that due to seed spread, your neighbours "must increase their herbicide applications in an effort to kill these WEEDS,..."

  • Are they weeds or are they not? MUST your neighbour use herbicides? Maybe they are old school and simply pull the offending 'weeds/plants' out? Maybe they are new school and actually welcome the milkweed.

  • "appreciate their neighbours maintaining prim and proper landscapes and keeping their homes in good repair". Are you implying that because someone chooses to have a natural garden, that they are slobs who do not keep their home in good repair?

  • Evidence please? It seems you harbour a prejudice against people with natural gardens and that you are projecting other negative traits on them.

  • "Any property and therefore any property owner that does not adhere to this standard is viewed as unruly and could be considered EXTREMIST. By-laws are enacted that create and enforce these standards for the good of all residents."

  • Are the standards based on facts and scientific knowledge of what is good for people and the environment or are they based on those who seek to impose their idea of what is prim and proper (a pristine lawn like you see in tv ads) - an straying from this 'ideal' i considered 'unruly' and (??) EXTREMIST? Applying fertilizer (much of which washes off and ends up in our storm sewers, then in our lakes and eventually in our drinking water), in addition to herbicides and pesticides is a threat to human and animal life. Are you really that infatuated with a 'perfect' lawn that you swill subject your kids, your neighbours and yourself to carcinogenic chemicals just so you can have a better lawn than the Jones' next door?

  • "Or plant stinging nettles, these will make city workers think twice about trespassing again, but may cause the city to dose the property with agent orange in the future. I know Paul would not like that".

  • You seem to want to be taken seriously then lapse into silly comments like this.

  • "Now what about those "animals" that "spread" seed? What animals exactly? Coon, possum, skunk, rabbit, chipmunk, squirrel or field mouse, mole and rat? Any one of these critters can in it's own right rile even the friendliest neighbour when they get out of control".

  • I don't particularly welcome racoons, rats, moles and skunks, but have not had many issues with them. And what about rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels? If you believe in 'nature' then surely you realize that we are sharing a habitat with other living creatures. Try a 'live and let live' philosophy and stop worrying about things 'getting out of control'. (not even sure what is meant by 'out of control').

  • "Keep the illusion of high property values and the necessity for high property taxes alive and well in your FRONTYARD."
    and "It is unruly because the vast majority of residents in Burlington, who can afford the high cost of real estate and high property taxes, appreciate their neighbours maintaining prim and proper landscapes...".

  • So really, your argument is mainly about keeping up high property values (and taxes?) not so much environmental concerns that negatively affect human and animal life. It is often about money - under another guise.

  • "Do not HATE your neighbours with your EXTREMISM. Make them like you by pretending you are like them. When a nail sticks out, we RAISETHEHAMMER and knock IT back down."

  • I see no evidence that Paul or his partner HATE their neighbours. It is you that have brought up the word HATE and EXTREMISM several times. You also council Paul to 'pretend' to like his neighbours. I would think Paul is more genuine than that. Regarding 'hammering nails that stick out', well you've tipped your hand several times in your comments in that you are intolerant of anyone who does not 'adhere to the rules'. Have you considered that maybe you have dislike of your neighbours since you seem so eager to tell them what they should, and should not do with their yards, and how generous you are in permitting them that pleasure.

Comment edited by positive1@cogeco.ca on 2019-08-18 12:19:31