Bayer, the biotech company and manufacturer of Roundup, has substantially increased its spending on lobbying in Iowa since the introduction of a pesticide labeling bill in 2024. In 2025, according to client reports published by the state, Bayer paid lobbyists $123,250. Reports for 2024 show $86,099 spent. Between 2021 and 2023, years before the pesticide […]
lawn care
Posted inLetters
Letters to the editor: Ditch the pesticides
By Kris Johnson, Iowa City As spring showers us with blossoms and pleasant breezes we all have the choice to plant and maintain nature in our yards. Some suggestions at the goodneighboriowa.org website show us how we can practice nature-friendly practices to protect children, pets and people. And two books at the Iowa City Public […]
Posted inLetters
Letter to the editor: Embrace pops of color in your lawn
By Linda Quinn & Mary Dix, Iowa City Do you have a plant out of place in your lawn? Those out-of-place pops of color in our yards have gotten a bad reputation over the past 40 years. But not to everyone in Iowa City! There’s a lot of folks who allow these plants in places such […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Tips for growing a more natural lawn (that you can still play on!)
“In environmental circles, lawns often times get a bad rap,” observed Fred Meyer, director of Backyard Abundance. The Iowa City-based nonprofit, founded in 2006, is dedicated to helping individuals connect with and appreciate nature. Grass lawns offer little environmental benefit, reduce biodiversity and don’t do anything for local pollinators. That’s made traditional lawns a contested […]
