You might be spending money to kill the very plant trying to heal your land. 🌱 Mitch Rawlyk, Earth Systems Scientist. But…
Americans spend $2.5 billion/year on lawn chemicals — spraying 80 million pounds of pesticides to maintain “perfect” lawns. But what if those so-called weeds are nature’s repair crew?
Take the dandelion:
→ Breaks up compacted soil with 15” taproots
→ Mines calcium, iron & potassium for other plants
→ Feeds pollinators & over 50 insect species
→ Improves water infiltration
→ Signals soil health needs
Ironically, we kill them with herbicides… then buy fertilizers to replace what dandelions offered for free.
And that lush green lawn?
• Drains 30% of urban water
• Adds zero biodiversity
• Costs $40 billion annually
• Is drenched in pesticides
So next time you see a dandelion, ask: What is this plant trying to fix?
🌼 Nature doesn’t make mistakes — it sends solutions.
Shared by Mitch Rawlyk, Earth Systems Scientist | I help land stewards, designers, and developers make more confident & data driven decisions | Creator of LandScope.
