Morgan, Your use of the plural inclusive "we" (as in "we spray fertilizers...we hire illegal immigrants") was, I presume, a comment on the suburban NJ lawns you saw when you left Ithaca.

We have a major contrast up here. Ithaca Public School Property is NOT sprayed with anything. We had a glorious display of yellow dandelions with an undergrowth of blue violets. In spots, there were stands of 8" purple clover. The playground across the street finally had to be mowed for summer soccer, and one by one up and down the block, we've all finally mowed our own lawns. (and spared a few redbud seedlings which self-propagate like dandelions here). Many of us Ithacans enjoy creating our own definition of an aesthetic greenscape.

Be strong. When you are responsible for your own personal landscape you can grab the opportunity to become a green gardener. My patch of Greek oregano is already attracting a few bees, I've sighted a yellow swallowtail, and the hummingbirds are back. There are birds of all sorts hanging out in the untrimmed shrubs.

Most spectacular this week are the untended stands of pink, white, and purple phlox throughout Ithaca. Oh, I must mention the large red-headed woodpecker working away this a.m. on an aging tree. Had that tree been removed, there'd be no insects, and without the insects, no reason for that woodpecker to be here. I think that's an example of an ecological niche. It's sad that those NJ folks may not realize what they're missing. A huge expanse of pesticide-soaked lawns does not a greenspace make.

--Ithaca is Greening