The Ocean River Institute is promoting natural lawns as a way to combat climate change by saving water, supporting pollinators, and capturing carbon. Rob Moir, the institute's president, highlights how these practices can reduce environmental harm from traditional lawn care. The initiative encourages communities to pledge healthier soil management.
In a recent podcast episode, Rob Moir, Ph.D., president and executive director of the Ocean River Institute based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, discusses the benefits of switching to natural lawns. The institute focuses on working with residential lawn owners to restore coastal areas and mitigate the effects of climate change on damaged ecosystems.
Traditional lawns in the United States consume between 30% and 60% of residential water use, according to the episode. They often rely on chemical-intensive practices, including Roundup, which contains glyphosates that harm soil-dwelling fungi and local pollinators, as well as fast-acting nitrogen fertilizers. Natural lawns, by contrast, eliminate these chemicals, which have been linked to health issues such as cancers, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. They also reduce local water pollution and provide a better habitat for pollinators while storing significantly more carbon than fertilized lawns, acting as a carbon sink.
The Ocean River Institute is recruiting communities across Massachusetts, town by town, for the Healthy Soils for Climate Restoration Challenge. Participants pledge to adopt natural lawn practices. The program is open to anyone, regardless of location, to learn about sustainable alternatives. More information is available at www.oceanriver.org.
Moir has written extensively on climate and environmental topics, including articles on the Northwest Passage, land-water interactions shaping climate, and rainwater management. This episode, originally aired on May 30, 2022, serves as a guide for spring yard planning amid ongoing climate concerns.