Grassy lawns should not be mandatory. — Strong Towns

Grassy lawns originally became popular to prove a person was wealthy enough to waste land rather than farm on it. That status symbol no longer applies, since we no longer live in a sustenance farming economy, yet it's still mandated by law all over America.

Back in 17th Century England, the aristocracy was busy converting the old fortified castles of the feudal world into the countryside manor houses of the industrial age. Aristocrats didn't want anybody to think they might be mere farmers, so instead of crops they planted grass on the most visible parts of their properties. Only a rich person could waste land like that.

It was a bit like Americans who bought giant SUVs when gas was $4 a gallon, to show off how they didn't care about the price.

When the English colonized America they brought their status symbols with them. Thus the plantation home, America's version of the English manor house, inevitably included a prominent grassy lawn. Our founding fathers—the southern ones, at least—loved them.

Washington had one at Mount Vernon, Jefferson had one at Monticello, etceteras. Naturally, lawns have been desirable ever since.

Lawns Are nice, but they shouldn't be mandatory.

Of course, lawns aren't only status symbols. They're fun. We put them in our parks because walking barefoot to a picnic is pleasant. We have private yards because sometimes children should play backyard football rather than Madden NFL.