Chances are, your neighbors occasionally frustrate you. Maybe they play music loudly or let their lawn get a little overgrown. But for most people, that's just a part of having neighbors. For one person, however, a neighbor's annoyance turned into something more dangerous.
They wrote about the situation on Reddit. "I have a mango tree in my house," they said. "I think it might be bothering my neighbor, because recently he's been poisoning my plants that are close to the wall that divides our homes." The OP also expressed concern for their dogs' safety, worried they might eat some of the poisoned plants.
Commenters were confused — why would a mango tree inside someone's house be of concern to a neighbor? — but OP insisted that a professional had assessed the property and found pesticides and herbicides sprayed across their bordering wall.
Nevertheless, one Redditor expressed doubt that anybody would go to the trouble of poisoning somebody else's plants.
Another responded, "You've missed the big news story about a couple in Maine doing exactly that with a banned herbicide so that they could get an ocean view."
Indeed, this is hardly the first instance of neighbors resorting to illegal and downright dangerous methods in order to make a point. From aggressively mowing down gardens and chopping down trees to reporting neighbors for installing native plant and pollinator habitats, some people demonstrate a decidedly un-neighborly attitude when it comes to expressing their displeasure.
And whether or not it was in retaliation to the mango tree or to something else, commenters agreed it is unacceptable to respond to any sort of frustration by poisoning plants.
"If he is poisoning your plants on your property, take legal action," one person advised.
Many others suggested cameras to assist in the efforts. "Definitely get cameras," one agreed, "and press charges when you inevitably catch them. Depending on fencing, I'd put a camera on a tall pole just as an extra middle finger to them and to be sure to catch their face on video."
This approach has been effective for others in the past, resulting in fines and even jail time for certain homeowners. For example, the Maine couple who poisoned trees for a better view have already paid out over $1.7 million in fines — and members of their community are pushing for further retribution.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
