With summer's flowers long past, and the last leaves still straggling down, a lot of energy is going right now to lawn care. But before you blow those leaves and plant your ornamental cabbages, some naturalists are asking people to consider other, more environmentally friendly options.

Doctor Regina Alverez is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Dominican College in Rockland County and the former head of Horticulture in Central Park. She's also firmly opposed to lawns, and she joined Morning Edition host Michael Hill to talk about why.