Monday, April 11, 2011
Rubber Ducky
Chemical companies were not too happy to see this commercial aired on television. I wonder why? The industry litigated the Maine governor's office this spring to have the advertisement pulled and lost. They don't want the bans against lawn fertilizers that are in place in Canada to creep over the border into their largest market. But it is coming. Stand firm Maine...
Monday, April 4, 2011
Images and Artifacts #7
This is an aerial shot of a Tiger Woods golf course development in Dubai. Apparently they have stopped development not only because of Tiger Wood's fall but also because of the world-wide recession. Imagine how much chemical fertilizer and water it takes to keep a green, grass golf course in the middle of a dessert. Can you say mirage?
Friday, April 1, 2011
Photosynthesis
For spring break, I am driving around New England looking at colleges (I even bumped into Fish in western Massachusetts). I am also reading and thinking about my junior theme. When asked what I am interested in studying I have responded environmental studies, but I also love anthropology--- which I interpret as the study of people across time and from differing cultures.
While they are wondering about my college major, I know that is really where my head is at this present time. To deal with all the college options, I prefer to stay literally, grounded in the present. It is in that context that I am trying to frame my research for the junior theme. I have been reading about the American, suburban lawn—that is about as grounded in my present home of Winnetka as I can get. How did that convention get started? Why are some homeowners obsessed with manicuring their lawns? Why do people throw on so many harmful chemicals where their pets and kids play in a weird trade off for “beauty”? Why do we sprinkle water over our lawn “crops” when we can’t eat the lawns? Why do people use precious water supplies in areas like Arizona, California and Colorado? What do they gain and what does their community lose and why are they willing to make the trade-off? What feeds “lawn peoples” addition to green grass and how do lawn care companies take advantage of that obsession? Why do I love an open field and how is that different from my yard? Why does my dad love golf and what does the green grass do for his experience? And the questions go on.
Then, at one of the schools we visited we stopped at the university art gallery. One student’s senior show was called “Photosynthesis”. This is the link: www.tjadengroundsdepartment.org/
This college art student said her purpose was “Rethinking the Lawn, introducing visible food production, emphasizing sustainability, and evaluating what art can do for a community” She took one of the lawns in front of one of the main academic buildings and converted it to a garden. Her inspiration came from Michael Pollan, Alice Waters, Hans Haacke, Michele Obama, Vadana Shiva, Mierle Laderman Ukels and Fritz Haeg. Some of these people I know and some I’ll have to look up. Anyway her idea was to take a small piece of the lawn that surrounds a university campus and imagine in a different way and get other people to think about it too. Check out the website to see what she did.
Wisconsin’s own Gaylord Nelson introduced the first Earth Day in 1970 to
Inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. It is amazing to see how long it takes (40 years) to shift peoples’ habits and have knowledge and real understanding seep in. The lawns in suburban Winnetka are still deeply rooted in 2011. How has our care for those spaces changed as we have learned why more concern is necessary? It is about the care of our families and the community we call home.
While they are wondering about my college major, I know that is really where my head is at this present time. To deal with all the college options, I prefer to stay literally, grounded in the present. It is in that context that I am trying to frame my research for the junior theme. I have been reading about the American, suburban lawn—that is about as grounded in my present home of Winnetka as I can get. How did that convention get started? Why are some homeowners obsessed with manicuring their lawns? Why do people throw on so many harmful chemicals where their pets and kids play in a weird trade off for “beauty”? Why do we sprinkle water over our lawn “crops” when we can’t eat the lawns? Why do people use precious water supplies in areas like Arizona, California and Colorado? What do they gain and what does their community lose and why are they willing to make the trade-off? What feeds “lawn peoples” addition to green grass and how do lawn care companies take advantage of that obsession? Why do I love an open field and how is that different from my yard? Why does my dad love golf and what does the green grass do for his experience? And the questions go on.
Then, at one of the schools we visited we stopped at the university art gallery. One student’s senior show was called “Photosynthesis”. This is the link: www.tjadengroundsdepartment.org/
This college art student said her purpose was “Rethinking the Lawn, introducing visible food production, emphasizing sustainability, and evaluating what art can do for a community” She took one of the lawns in front of one of the main academic buildings and converted it to a garden. Her inspiration came from Michael Pollan, Alice Waters, Hans Haacke, Michele Obama, Vadana Shiva, Mierle Laderman Ukels and Fritz Haeg. Some of these people I know and some I’ll have to look up. Anyway her idea was to take a small piece of the lawn that surrounds a university campus and imagine in a different way and get other people to think about it too. Check out the website to see what she did.
Wisconsin’s own Gaylord Nelson introduced the first Earth Day in 1970 to
Inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. It is amazing to see how long it takes (40 years) to shift peoples’ habits and have knowledge and real understanding seep in. The lawns in suburban Winnetka are still deeply rooted in 2011. How has our care for those spaces changed as we have learned why more concern is necessary? It is about the care of our families and the community we call home.
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