Americans dump an estimated 70 million pounds of fertilizer and pesticides on approximately 40 million acres of lawn each year, using 10 times more chemicals per acre than farms. Few homeowners are willing to ditch their grass altogether, but you can plant more drought-and disease-tolerant grasses, or simply cut fertilizer and chemical use. You will just have to deal with the occasional brown spots that are part of grass' natural life cycle.

To boost the health of your lawn, add clover, as it naturally fertilizes the soil and is drought-tolerant. Let the lawn grow a little longer before cutting it - longer grass chokes out the sunlight weeds need to grow - or switch to a natural lawn-care service such as NaturalLawn.

Cost Factor:

Natural fertilizers actually cost less, and using fewer chemicals can save you money and reduce the level of pollution in local waterways and around your home.