I will venture into politics slowly. I’ll start by plugging a great cause transcending political parties called “Eat the View” (http://www.eattheview.org). This group would like our next President to till part of the White House lawn and turn it into a vegetable garden. This is not a new idea as there was a Victory Garden on the lawn during World War 2.

I have nothing against lawns except for the fact they are ecological disasters. Although an integral part of the modern American landscape, they are actually a new idea foisted on the public starting in the 1930’s with a great deal of acceleration after WWII. An illuminating but disturbing read on the topic is American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn by Ted Steinberg. This lawn history book details the tragic waste of water, time and energy that lawns entail plus the mis-use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides that end up in our drinking water. You will never want to cut the grass again once you learn about being swindled by certain unnamed companies (that rhyme with Botts).

I’m in the habit of offering my credentials with my opinions and in this case I am both a Master Gardener and have a PhD in ecology. I have a greater understanding of how natural systems work and how to plant a nice garden that most people. Consequently, our lawn suffers from benign neglect and it looks lush and green for a short while after it rains. It hasn’t been fertilized in years and I might give it some water while I am watering our flowerbeds in the front. I don’t think I have ever watered the back lawn. It is green with a mixture of short species that might pass as grass from a distance.

But…I have a privacy hedge of raspberries (delicious fences make good neighbors) and kiwi vines covering the trellis under the deck (truth in blogging: no fruit yet because of plant gender issues that are being resolved). These are examples of what is called edible landscaping. I have cukes, tomatoes, corn, and tomatilloes growing in Earth Boxes on the deck (www.earthbox.com – an unsolicited testimonial). My herb garden provides basil, chives, mint, sorrel, tarragon and parsley. In the spring I harvest the sweetest asparagus known. I tapped the ancient sugar maple in the yard and proudly produced a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup

I detail this to get back to my original point. If I can benefit from the actual fruits of my labor, the White House can benefit by symbolically generating some of its own produce. I don’t expect to see the President tending the garden but it would be great a photo-op. Political courage is needed to tear up the lawn (lawn care is a multi-billion dollar/year business). But imagine a President taking an action, endorsing a behavior that benefits only the best interests of the American people. No multi-nationals. No friends of certain Vice-Presidents to reap obscene profits. No ulterior motives other than providing the best produce possible for everyone. Plus endorsing gardening as a healthy activity. This is a win-win opportunity (except for companies that benefit by our absurd desire for green lawns).

The issue is much more complicated than I present here but the idea is so simple and pure. I am sure it can be subverted somehow. In the meantime, please consider signing the petition at http://www.eattheview.org. If you have a Facebook account check out the group “Vote for Veggies.” Neither “Eat the View” nor myself are pushing vegetarianism, just common sense.