Food Not Lawns

What Does Food Not Lawns Mean?

Food Not Lawns, sometimes expressed as the motto or tag line: "Grow Food! Not Lawns" is a national movement focused on changing the paradigm surrounding residential lawns in the US.

Food Not Lawns is an organization made up of members or participants who subscribe to a mentality that encourages homeowners to grow gardens in their front yard, rather than lawns that annually require the use of an incredible amount of water and gasoline for care and maintenance.

Maximum Yield Explains Food Not Lawns

Grow Food Not Lawns, or Food Not Lawns, to use the actual organization’s name, is a national movement with local chapters across the nation. The purpose of this organization is to encourage homeowners to ditch the lawn and grow food in a front yard garden, instead. Each year, growing grass/lawns requires the use of millions of gallons of gasoline just for mowing. That also leads to air pollution in the form of lawn mower and weed trimmer exhaust. Lawns also require an incredible amount of water.

By planting gardens, homeowners are able to reduce their carbon footprint by a massive amount, reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, and also grow their own food, which helps reduce their financial overhead.

Food Not Lawns actually started as a single project back in 1999, and has grown into an international organization. The organization encourages others to join the movement by starting their own local chapter, or by subscribing to the blog for a monthly pledge amount ($1 per month minimum). Garden grants are available through the Patreon platform for those who qualify, as well.

The Food Not Lawns community has grown immensely since it was first started, and today the organization has a massive following both online and offline. There are T-shirts, stickers, and bumper stickers all helping the movement spread its messaging.