Atlanta leaders talk big about climate change, yet seem oblivious to the immense carbon footprint homeowners, businesses, and the city parks department creates - particularly in the fall. Crews are paid to harm their own health by chasing down every last leaf in sight with gas-powered leaf blowers, shredding them to dust with heavy duty lawn mowers, bagging them up as trash, and driving trucks full of this precious natural resource two hours away to another state to be incinerated.
This ridiculous ecological carnage is destroying the ecosystem of our city, contributing to the alarming insect and bird decline, and causing pollution every step of the way.
It’s also tragic that a generation is growing up in sanitized, lifeless yards where starting in September the natural connection to the season is replaced with plastic decorations. This isn’t about the decoration though - you’ll find a few “scary” yard decorations in my yard every Halloween. The difference is you can tell the season in my rewilded yard without any props, and you can’t in yards scrubbed of leaves, acorns, and other natural matter (and planted with exotic ornamental evergreens).
You also won’t find the wildlife that needs the shelter of the leaves including butterflies, caterpillars, fireflies, lizards, and frogs.
If the only way to tell the season is because of a plastic decoration, a few pumpkins, and non-native mums, we’re in deep environmental trouble on so many levels.
We need to leave the leaves for wildlife but also to create lasting memories of the rhythm of fall days filled with crunchy leaves and the natural wonders that come with them.
Once your eyes are opened to the unnatural freakiness of leafless fall yards, it will bother you every time you see them. I promise.
#leavetheleaves #rewilding #fallleaves #fall #teachyourchildren #atlantanature #natureeducation #ecolandscaping #nurturenativenature