7: Suppression of Wild Ecosystems September 13th, 2019
Simon: One of the evils of humankind is the coercive suppression of wild ecosystems. A lot of the standards for having a well-maintained yard are pretty bad for the environment.
(image with selectively bred plants, exposed mulch beds, chemically-treated & watered lawn)
Simon: But if someone turns their yard into a wild forest, people complain. In some places they can get FINED for it, even though it has more ecological value. We've just DECIDED that outdoor spaces are supposed to look a certain way, and it's enforced by a web of social, legal, and economic factors. This area of environmentalism is still stigmatized. When a company's corporate headquarters is overgrown with wildflowers, THAT's when I'll know the company is serious about being green.
Lily: Or they're going bankrupt.
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Simon's ecological enthusiasm is heavily influenced by my friend Alex. I want to give credit, but disclaimer, Simon and Alex are not the same person, nor do they have exactly the same opinions about these issues.
Alex runs Bplant.org, a plant documentation website in development. If you're interested in the ecology of plants, I recommend checking it out.