The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but it may not be cleaner — especially if pesticides are in use.
One Redditor posted about their experience with a neighbor who sprayed toxic pesticides on their carefully crafted native lawn.
Not only is the crossing of the property line annoying, but the original poster said they invested in growing something climate-friendly.
The Redditor said they removed the grass and designed a lawn that is better for the environment. They also pledged not to use herbicides on their lawn. However, their neighbor had carelessly sprayed RoundUp, a toxic weed killer, on their lawn.
It takes time and money to adapt a lawn into a native and desert-friendly landscape, and the use of herbicides can hurt the progress this homeowner made. The Reddit user explained that they have pets and children who play on their lawn and don't want them coming in contact with the cancer-causing RoundUp.
In recent years, more and more homeowners have been rethinking their traditional grass lawns and looking for more eco-friendly alternatives. Traditional grass lawns are resource-intensive, requiring constant upkeep, pesticides, and watering. Traditional lawns are also monocultures, meaning they are just one species of plant. Monocultures are not sustainable and don't offer any ecological benefits to local wildlife, like pollinators.
Turning away from monoculture lawns and toward native, pollinator-friendly, and drought-resistant landscaping can reduce your home's environmental impact while creating a beautiful and natural yard for you to enjoy.
Unfortunately, some think these "anti-lawns" look unkempt and may be tempted to judge them as weed-filled. Perhaps this caused confusion on the neighbor's part, so they sprayed RoundUp. Either way, it's quite careless and disrespectful to do so when it's clear the homeowner put so much intention into their native lawn.
HOA limitations can be frustrating, but it is possible to change HOA bylaws. If you're looking to make a change, TCD has an extensive guide on how to better your community, even with an HOA in place.
The homeowner took to Reddit for advice and guidance on solving this process peacefully. One commenter outlined that they should "read your governing documents, show up to [HOA] meetings to address the Board," and "attend the meetings until they discuss the topic."
Other commenters simply share the original poster's frustration over the pesticides being sprayed, saying: "I don't use them either. I would be angry."
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