You make your point very well, Sergo. The environmental problems introduced by cultivating lawns in the US are pretty serious. It's not so much the chemicals used to kill weeds, but the cultivation of a nonindigenous monoculture of two or three types of grass that are now ubiquitous across the suburban US, which is growing exponentially with the development of subdivisions. The overuse of fertilizer--even organic fertilizer--to keep this monoculture going is very bad for the water table.
It's reallyl an issue of ensuring a fresh, safe water supply for everyone to live off for generations to come. I agree that asphalt is worse, but the best thing for the water supply is to have an unfertilized, clean filtration system as exists often in nature. Water supplies are taken for granted, but believe me, when there is a shortage of clean, potable water, it's a very serious problem. Most of America is pulling off private wells and public reservoir systems that rely on rural areas to remain clean and undeveloped. It's going to be the biggest issue of the next century to continue to provide clean, abundant water to all these houses surrounded by grass.
The reason I know a lot about this is that I was deeply involved and formed a not for profit at one point to do some public education on this after three towns in my area had serious problems with their water sources. And I live in a relatively undeveloped area. The problem there came from a comblination of road salt storage and runoff, bad storage of approved, safe agricultural fertilizers, and drought. What would you do if you turned on your water tap and nothing came out?
I do realize that most people don't think about this issue at all and don't see the connections. People in cities and suburbs rely on people in rural areas to keep their water clean and safe. Someday, after every bit of open land is covered with a house and a fertilized lawn and a patio and a driveway, the problem will become all too apparent.
