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Crime Pays but Botany Doesn't

649 points · 203 comments · DarkContinent

  1. jojocool0501 · · focus · HN ↗
    My favorite Youtube channel.

    Please watch the latest <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=HDVcfSYcxc0" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=HDVcfSYcxc0. It&#x27;s an interview with an old botanist, who shares his wisdom and philosophy, remains engaged after decades of witnessing first hand America&#x27;s nature getting destroyed. 2 main points: - destroyed old-growth forests, grassland, remnant prairies takes millennia to be back to what they were, not decades. Insects and other pollinators don&#x27;t just reappear - water availability for plants comes in many forms, all of which disappear with tillage.

    Joey is an acquired taste, but if you look past the strong and odd personality (the persona?), his channel is a gold mine. But this time he was (rightfully) impressed by Gerry (Gerould) Wilhelm&#x27;s wealth of knowledge.

    1. andai · · focus · HN ↗
      Brilliant, thanks for sharing.

      I&#x27;m reminded of an article I read once, it seems to have gone offline, an interview with indie game dev Jason Rohrer. He said the city took him to court for not mowing his lawn. He ended up winning under the 1st amendment (the lawn was &quot;free expression&quot; or something...)[0]

      I thought that was really interesting (and obviously wouldn&#x27;t work in other countries).

      The other day I walked around the neighborhood and found this massive patch of grass and weeds that had been mowed, and scorched by the sun, so it was just mostly dead. Barely 5 minutes away, the city had fenced out special plots and paid to have a bunch of weeds instlled, to help the bees. Comedy.

      [0] Edit: Yeah it&#x27;s deleted. I found backups though!

      <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;archive.ph&#x2F;j9025" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;archive.ph&#x2F;j9025

      <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;web.archive.org&#x2F;web&#x2F;20150315123808&#x2F;https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.esquire.com&#x2F;news-politics&#x2F;a5303&#x2F;future-of-video-game-design-1208&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;web.archive.org&#x2F;web&#x2F;20150315123808&#x2F;https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.esqui...

      1. badpun · · focus · HN ↗
        &gt; I thought that was really interesting (and obviously wouldn&#x27;t work in other countries).

        I don&#x27;t know about other countries, but in Poland you&#x27;re just not required to cut down your lawn at all, unless it&#x27;s a fire hazard (you have a lot of dead and dried up plants).

        1. graemep · · focus · HN ↗
          I think legal requirements are a US thing. I had only heard of it in HOA run places though.

          Here in the UK there are no usually legal requirements, but it might be a social problem as your neighbours will not like it.

          1. tobinfricke · · focus · HN ↗
            Apparently this text is part of the &quot;International Property Management Code&quot;, which is incorporated into the municipal code of many cities?

            <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;codes.iccsafe.org&#x2F;content&#x2F;IPMC2024P1&#x2F;chapter-3-general-requirements?utm_source=chatgpt.com#IPMC2024P1_Ch03_Sec302.4" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;codes.iccsafe.org&#x2F;content&#x2F;IPMC2024P1&#x2F;chapter-3-gener...

            1. graemep · · focus · HN ↗
              So not just HOAs but very much US?
              1. quickthrowman · · focus · HN ↗
                Generally, property in places where the landscape is well-maintained is worth substantially more than property where half the lawns are uncut and the fence lines are overgrown with weeds.

                The US is a land of individualists who also have most of their wealth tied up in their homes so property ordinances are popular, despite the “I can do whatever I want” attitude of American culture.

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