. . . every society that grows extensive lawns could…
““. . . every society that grows extensive lawns could produce all its food on the same area, using the same resources, and . . . world famine could be totally relieved if we devoted the same resources of lawn culture to food culture in poor areas. These facts are before us. Thus, we can look at lawns, like double garages and large guard dogs, [and Humvees and SUVs] as a badge of willful waste, conspicuous consumption, and lack of care for the earth or its people. Most lawns are purely cosmetic in function. Thus, affluent societies have, all unnoticed, developed an agriculture which produces a polluted waste product, in the presence of famine and erosion elsewhere, and the threat of water shortages at home. The lawn has become the curse of modern town landscapes as sugar cane is the curse of the lowland coastal tropics, and cattle the curse of the semi-arid and arid rangelands. It is past time to tax lawns (or any wasteful consumption), and to devote that tax to third world relief. I would suggest a tax of $5 per square metre for both public and private lawns, updated annually, until all but useful lawns are eliminated.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on sustainable agriculture, 1990s
Excessive lawns waste resources that could feed people, highlighting wasteful consumption and suggesting a tax to redirect resources to famine relief.
In simple terms: Lawns waste resources that could feed people; tax could help.
Key Takeaway
Redirect lawn tax to food production.
Themes
environment
economics
social justice
sustainability
Mood
concerned
determined
Type
policy
activist
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- public policy
- community gardening
- international aid
Key Concepts
resource allocation
tax policy
food security
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies shift cultural values away from conspicuous lawns?
- What alternatives exist to tax for funding relief?
A Different Perspective
Implementation may face political resistance and enforcement challenges.