Banning Grass Clippings from Green Bins

Over the past few years Kingston has implemented a number of noteworthy sustainable and environmentally friendly initiatives including: organic waste recycling, cycling infrastructure and household limits pertaining to weekly garbage collection.  By and large, these and the various other initiatives have been embraced to the point that many Kingstonians have been seeking out other ways to embrace sustainability and greener living.

Inspiration comes from far and wide such as the use of lawn mowing sheep and grazing animals in Paris, high occupancy vehicle lanes in the GTA, and Edmonton’s eco-friendly winter salt and road sand recycling program. Another example that recently caught my attention was the City of Halifax’s ban on grass clippings in green bins, which came into effect on August 1st. According to city officials, the move, which is being dubbed “grasscycling”, will help both homeowners and the municipality in the following ways:

• Gives lawn free nutrients – Leaving grass clippings on the lawn returns valuable nutrients to the soil, reducing fertilizer requirements and encouraging earthworm activity.
• Save time & energy – Raking and bagging clippings can be very time consuming.
• Save money – Less water & fertilizer are needed. Also, saves the cost of yard waste bags or cans.
• Save tax dollars – Leaving grass clippings on the lawn reduces the need for extra municipal collection, hauling and composting costs.

Truthfully, many Kingstonians have been grasscycling since before it had an official name, whether it was a best practice passed down through generations, out shear luck or due to utter laziness. Conversely, there are those who continuously toil over removing dead grass from their carefully manicured lawn.

Considering estimates that suggest the average 1,000 square foot lawn can produce between 200 and 500 pounds of clippings per season, perhaps this grasscycling idea is worth exploring further in Kingston.  Accordingly, this week’s poll asks:

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What do you think about grasscycling and a move towards banning grass clippings from green bins? Is this a no-brainer, or would we be foolish to rush into the latest environmental trend?

Photo credit to jypsygen.