While FLECL tries to promote community, positivity, learning & fun, the reality is there are forces in Florida that are opposed to allowing sustainable DIY native landscaping practices to flourish. Unfortunately, Florida does not have much of a sustainable economy & landscaping is big business! The Landscape Industrial Complex (LIC) is a huge part of the Florida economy & is therefore opposed to the idea that we can be perfectly happy & encourage others to enjoy seeing & creating DIY landscapes. Unfortunately the critters we are helping do not have big bank accounts, they don’t vote & only we can be their voices. This does not mean there is no economy to be supported by FLECL, we support native nurseries, landscapers who will work with FLECL concepts & scientists, politicians and business persons that share our values!

However, a lot of money is made through unsustainable landscaping. Think of all the plants that people replace in their yards every year, the fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides & all sorts of other chemicals that are used. Think of the power tools, the trucks, the fuel consumption. And yes, a lot of people make their living doing, promoting, selling, studying & all sorts of jobs related to this industry. FLECLers try to be accepting & know that there will always be a need & market for the LIC, but in general FLECL practices will not provide as much support for the LIC as they are used to receiving. Obviously things are not going to change over night & all progress involves change. We can value & help our neighbors who are invested in the LIC at the same time we slowly work to transform this aspect of the Florida economy. But there will be challenges, codes are designed to enforce practices that benefit the LIC and institutions are funded to promote the business interests of the LIC. To really get things going it will be necessary for us to join together & form FLECL mutual support organizations to provide the mutual aid we will need in order to transform the dominant landscaping paradigms. But through this process we can develop community, friendships & celebrate our humanity & connections to the natural world! Nature & science are also our allies in any struggles with the LIC & together we can work to make the world a better place for ourselves, our children & all natural living systems on this planet!