A frustrated home gardener reached out to a homestead group on Reddit for advice after a neighbor's wood stain came through the fence and onto their vegetable garden and clothes that were left out to dry.
"That's horrible," one Redditor commented.
The original poster was frustrated with the lack of communication on the part of the neighbors and the carelessness of the contractor they hired. They inquired in the group about whether the affected cucumbers and tomatoes would be edible.
Commenters advised against it, warning the OP that the chemicals used in the stain are likely toxic.
The OP had spent the last year creating a home garden, a hobby considered to be environmentally friendly in many ways. The disappointment over toxic chemicals ruining their produce was understandable.
In addition, line-drying clothing is an energy-saving move. The OP's efforts to practice eco-friendly activities were thwarted by the neighbor's careless use of the fence stain.
Difficult neighbors have been known to be barriers to homeowners seeking climate-friendly home solutions, from solar panels to laundry-hanging.
Pesticide application is one way neighbors have impacted their surrounding environments. Often taking out more than their intended targets, pesticides are toxins that can have negative effects on plants and important pollinators. They can also have damaging effects on the human body.
There are safer, more environmentally friendly ways of controlling unwanted insects. Likewise, the neighbor of the OP could have handled their fence staining in a safer way, or at the very least, communicated about the project, giving the homeowner a chance to protest or protect their garden and clothing.
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Mowing the lawn 🏡 Outraged commenters on Reddit advised the OP to seek compensation for chemical trespassing. The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund says that "chemical trespass can happen in many ways" and that the concept "places the burden of proof and liability on the polluter, no matter where the pollution is emanating from" — though it's not totally clear if the case in question would involve legal responsibility.
"Get the contact info for the company and ask for compensation," one Reddit user advised.
Another commenter said, "Retired paint contractor of 37 years here. Totally unacceptable."
While many advisors were encouraging legal action, some encouraged the OP to start by talking to the neighbor. One suggested saying, "Howdy, neighbor! Let's go to the co-op to replace my plants you've ruined."
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