I have never been someone who was ever really worried about the way our environment functions, but ever since I started taking AP Environmental Science, I realized that we impact the world more than we think. 

When I was younger, I used to bike a lot, and when I would come home after taking about three rounds around the Clements Mill Circle, I would find my dad mowing the lawn but never really thought anything of it. He never let me mow the lawn because I was too young but only mowed it to make his lawn look better than his neighbors. Ten years later, he still does this but now has a company that does it for us. 

Now don’t get me wrong, at the end of the day, I think we all wish to have a healthier lawn, but not knowing how to take care of it can actually hurt your grass more than it can actually help it. Although it’s important to cut your grass regularly to help it become greener and grow better, according to the website lawnlove.com, if the lawn is too wet it should not be mowed. 

Many reasons for this include the fact that it will start to clump up, blocking the sunlight and actually stunting its growth. Instead, mow it when it’s dry to prevent the growth of weeds in your front or backyard.  Aside from knowing when to mow your lawn, it is also important to understand what type of grass you are mowing. The type of grass will determine how well your grass is able to grow. 

For example, Bentgrass is very hard to take care of and must be mowed half an inch short in order to remain healthy. On the other hand, Fescue is a very tall type of grass that must be cut around 2.5 to 4.0 inches in order to remain healthy. 

Along with knowing the type of grass and knowing when to cut it, by cutting your grass more frequently, you not only allow for more biodiversity to flourish but also contribute to a better atmosphere. According to the website bobvila.com, no matter what lawn mower you have — whether it’s gas-powered or electric —it contributes to pollution because of the power plant emissions that it releases. 

By reducing the number of times you mow your lawn, you are not only conserving the number of resources available in the environment but are also contributing to a better environment in which we can breathe better air. 

Although I have just listed a few factors that contribute to a poor environment there are far more that affect the health of our environment, such as the fact that it can affect the survival of wildlife and even create air pollution. But no matter how you choose to take care of your lawn, make sure to be mindful of how it affects our lives.