6 Important Reasons to Join the No Mow May Movement

What Is No Mow May?

No Mow May is a campaign to encourage people not to mow their traditional grass lawns (or use pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers) during the month of May to benefit the environment in many ways.

The Movement became popularized by Plantlife in the United Kingdom, but it has become very popular in my home state of Wisconsin, as well as other areas across the world. Appleton, Wisconsin, in the Fox Valley became the first city in the United States to formally adopt No Mow May. Their common council passed a resolution in February 2020.

05/24/2022 Important Update: Two days ago, my fiance saw an engorged tick fall off one of our dogs. One day ago, we bought a lawnmower and mowed the area where the dogs have access. No Mow May may not be appropriate in all situations, especially if you have furry family members.

Reasons to Participate in No Mow May

No Mow May supports pollinators, like the bee in the image. For example, by allowing dandelions, like the one in the photo, to grow, you are creating food and habitat for the bee.

1. Create Food and Habitat for Pollinators

There are two main reasons for implementing No Mow May. The first is to allow flowers to grow to provide nectar and pollen for important pollinators, including native bees and butterflies. In many places, bees are just starting to emerge in May, but, due to the popularity of monoculture grass lawns, there are not many sources of nectar available yet, especially in cities. You are also creating a survivable habitat for these early pollinators by not mowing.

Native bees are facing significant declines in their populations. This is important for everyone, whether they care about the fate of bees or not because pollinators, including bees, contribute a great deal to our ability to grow the food necessary to sustain human life.

No Mow May supports biodiversity, like the monarch butterfly and milkweed flowers in this photograph.

2. Support Biodiversity

The other major reason to participate in Now Mow May is to support biodiversity beyond just pollinators. By not mowing or using synthetic, petroleum-based chemicals on your lawn in May, you are creating a healthy ecology that will allow a diversity of plants, insects, and other wildlife to thrive.

Let your neighbors know why your lawn has dandelions by putting up a sign that explains that you are participating in Now Mow May.

3. Inspire Neighbors to Learn and Care About Local Biodiversity & Shift American Culture on Lawns

In the United States, most people with houses are expected to maintain a spotless green grass lawn. If you are the first person to implement No Mow May in your neighborhood, your neighbors will be curious. This will provide a great opportunity for you to teach your neighbors about the importance of conserving your local biodiversity. Hopefully, it will encourage them to participate in Now Mow May, too!

America’s obsession with grass lawns is incredibly bad for the environment. Most people try to grow a lawn of just one plant species, creating a monoculture. A monoculture reduces plant diversity and the overall diversity of life in that ecological system. Maintaining lawns also often requires the use of herbicides and pesticides, which also contributes to the loss of biodiversity.

This image shows a lawn mower plowing down a field of wildflowers to create a short, managed lawn. By abstaining from mowing during No Mow May, you can preserve the life-supporting habitat of the flowers and reduce the environmental and health impacts of running a gas lawn mower.

4. Reduce the Pollution and Greenhouse Gases Associated with Lawn Mowers

Lawn mowers that aren’t electric burn petroleum-derived gasoline as their fuel. Gasoline is toxic; it includes various hazardous chemicals, such as benzene, toluene, naphthalene, trimethylbenzene, and methyl tert-butyl ether. Benzene is carcinogenic! Gasoline also creates air pollution that contributes to asthma and other poor health outcomes. Gasoline is a real health hazard.

In addition to the direct human health concerns, burning gasoline to power lawn mowers releases a lot of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. This is exacerbating climate change and the resulting patterns of extreme weather and loss of biodiversity.

Commonly, if you do not mow your lawn during No Mow May, in my area dandelions, clovers, and common blue violets will bloom.

5. Enjoy the Beauty of Dandelions, Clovers, Common Blue Violets, and Other Flowers

Flowers are beautiful. Allow yourself to enjoy and cherish them, even if others consider them weeds. Be grateful that flowers support the pollinators necessary to feed the human population. Be grateful for their role in transforming dirt into soil.

Image of a family, including two adults, two children, and a dog, enjoying time outside together. By participating in No Mow May, you are saving time to spend with the ones you love.

6. Save Time With No Mow May

One of the most obvious benefits of not mowing your yard in May is to have one fewer big chore on your list of spring to-dos. With spring cleaning, perhaps planting a garden, figuring out what to do with your kids out of school, and planning a vacation, you have plenty of tasks to accomplish. Being able to cross one off removes a big burden.

Don’t think you can participate in No Mow May?

You can still get involved in the movement! Here are a few ideas for different situations.

Image of apartment or condo balconies with container gardens.

Live in an apartment or condo?

Ask the property manager to implement No Mow May! Send them this article so they can learn the benefits.
If you have a porch or balcony, consider adding potted flowers!

Image of cone flowers and other beautiful flowers in front of a house in place of a tradition grass lawn.

Required by your locality to keep your grass mowed to a certain height?

Let your grass grow as tall as it is allowed to grow.
Transform all or part of your yard into flowerbeds. Native wildflower beds are even better for your local pollinators than tall grass.
Do not use pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers.