Too thin to plow, too thick to drink

Shortly after we moved from Buffalo, New York, where we had lived for most of the 1960s, Lake Erie was famously called "too thick to drink, too thin to plow." In the 1970s, the lake was vastly improved by government action, but we are slipping again, as the Toledo drinking water story shows.

Here's a comment I sent on the New York Times story on the recent algae bloom in Lake Erie.

"One small measure that would help -- a ban on residential use or application of pesticides and fertilizers. Lawns are wonderful, but they would grow just fine without sprinklers, fertilizer, herbicides, or pesticides if we followed the practices of a generation or two ago. To improve the lawn, add a handful of clover seeds in the spring or fall to fix nitrogen that helps sustain the grass. Mow regularly but not too often. We are ruining our shared environment to outdo our neighbors for perfect lawns."

 What's on your lawn?