There is always an 800-pound gorilla in the room. That one subject no-one really wants to talk about. In the discussions on how to save the waters and shoreline of Chesapeake Bay, and the entire six-state watershed that leads to the estuary, the one subject that’s never really broached is the American lifestyle.

We all contribute to the pollution and devastation around us. We put artificial fertilizers on our lawns, we waste water, we have too many dogs and cats, we prefer lawns over trees, and we want easy, practical and cheaper living, not less convenient, more expensive, environmentally friendly lifestyles. I am among this group.

But perhaps there are ways to improve bio-diversity, water quality and the urban environment without having to pull on a hair-shirt and wash out of a bucket.

One way suggested by scientists in England and published in the February edition of the magazine Trends in Ecology and Evolution is to use private gardens as socio-ecological constructs and developing wildlife-friendly gardening.

The authors say that as urbanization increases and “the natural environment becomes increasingly fragmented, the importance of urban green spaces for conservation grows”. Gardens, they argue, are not isolated, they exist in conjunction with other gardens, parks and nature reserves and can link to form habitat networks. With that in mind, they suggest that neighbors coordinate their garden plantings in such a way as to encourage bio-diversity.

Of course, that would require talking to your neighbors. It would also require thinking about what you are planting and how you are gardening in a completely different way.

Environmental landscapers are already thinking along these lines. Luke Jessup of Father Nature Restorative Landscaping in the DC area (perhaps understanding the individual vs community dynamic) recommends a mix of mini-environments in one garden: a meadow in one area, fruit, vegetables, flowers that attract pollinators, and no chemicals.

Saving the Bay, keeping waters clean and soils healthy, encouraging biodiversity, working with rather than dominating the environment, are all goals that will require collective thought and effort and considerable changes to the way people currently live. Maybe taking small steps, such as in one’s own back yard, is one way to start.