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When various AI programs were launched a few years ago, I was intrigued. As an illustrator who rarely finds the time to actually illustrate due to the demands of writing, I thought these tools might offer a solution. I’ve always wanted to illustrate a graphic novel based on Poacher’s origin story, but realistically, I knew I’d never finish it because I am so wretchedly slow. Sloth-like in fact. That’s when I hoped MidJourney might help bring my vision to life.
After spending about a year experimenting with prompts, I discovered two things. First, AI was quickly becoming a rabbit hole that pulled me away from writing. But secondly, and unexpectedly, using AI for image generation was surprisingly additive to my writing. Generated images often sparked new ideas, pulling the story in directions I hadn’t anticipated. Sometimes, a small, incongruous detail—like a wrecked car in the background—would open up an entirely new narrative possibility I hadn’t considered. More often than not, there always seemed to be an unexpected “What if?” moment. AI art generation proved to be a valuable tool for idea generation rather than just a means of producing visual content. After enough experimentation with MidJourney’s outputs, I realized I had fed my creative brain enough fuel. I could then return to my writing with renewed inspiration, knowing that someday I would eventually find an artist—pen in hand—to bring my graphic novel to life.
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Let me start off by saying the restaurant where the oak tree being profiled below has some of the best food in South Florida. This isn't a hatchet job on them - my wife and I frequently eat there and we absolutely love their food. This is meant to serve as an illustration of how something that initially seems like a good idea is in fact, short sighted thinking. Not too long ago, I was sitting at this restaurant, fixated on an outdoor play area designed for small children. Perhaps they even let large children play there too. The kids were having fun, running around, being kids. But my attention kept returning toward a large live oak tree they were gathered under. This tree stood out because of its current state of health. It looked unhealthy, especially when compared to the thriving oak trees surrounding it. Why was this one tree so sickly when oaks are typically robust and resilient? My gaze kept moving between the ailing tree, the healthy ones, and then back to the sick oak. Finally, I realized the sick Live oak tree’s base was covered in artificial grass. Duh. There it was. Trees are perfect, self-sustaining systems. They feed and nurture themselves. You know the cycle - they drop leaves, leaves decay, nutrients go into the soil, the roots extract what they need, the cycle continues. Except when humans get involved. This poor oak couldn’t feed itself or draw nutrients from decaying organic matter surrounding it because the leaves fell to the artificial surface, and then I imagined they vacuumed up to keep the area all neat, orderly, and pretty. No wonder it was sick. And here's the kicker. I can almost guarantee that after a year, the owner will be discussing the sick tree, and a landscaper will tell him it's unhealthy because he needs to feed hint. Hint: You don't need to feed a native tree. Of course, the next step would be for the landscapers to suggest they could take care of the issue for a modest monthly fee by fertilizing the tree, you know, with nitrogen based plant foods that will leach down into the aquifer and our drinking water and wreak havoc on the humans that created the problem.  While this may not be the best picture, it clearly illustrates how this tree differs from the healthy ones seen in the background. Looking at the ground, it’s easy to see there’s simply no space for natural processes to sustain its life. And yes, this means less grass and fewer actual plants to produce oxygen for the world.
Unhealthy tree on the left, Trees surrounding it are healthy.Months after seeing this, I visited a botanical park in Port St. Lucie, Florida that I hadn't been to recently. I enjoy my visits there, particularly because right next to the garden is a beautiful Ficus tree and I have a thing about Ficus trees. To my surprise, that tree looked like shit. A park had been built out in the area next to the garden, putting in more parking and plans to build a restaurant. I exited my car and wondering what was going on with this once robust Ficus tree. Half of the leaves were missing and it looked unhealthy. Yes, you know where this is headed. A play area had been installed and yes, it was artificial turf, surrounding the tree. Jesus Christ.  This once magnificent tree now faces the same fate as the sickly oak at the restaurant: suffocation and starvation by artificial turf.
I’ve mentioned before how humans often fail to consider the impact we have on other species, but here’s one that’s directly tied to the “artificial grass” craze. At some point, someone will try to save this dying tree, and the solution will likely involve “feeding” it. Did I mention trees are perfectly capable of feeding themselves? Instead of removing the suffocating fake grass, landscapers will be called in to nurse the tree back to health—but not by addressing the root cause. No, they’ll dump nitrogen-based fertilizers into the soil, which will eventually leach into the aquifer and make its way into our homes through drinking water. Yes, I'm being redundant for a reason. Side note: a disturbing trend I see at Lowe's and Home Depot they're selling artificial turf for homes. Anyone read "The Death of Grass" by John Christopher btw? I'd also suggest if you want a wonderful overview of the science of plants, pick up a copy of "Botany for Gardeners" by Brian Capon. It's written for people who are curious about how plant life works but don't want to get bogged down in science. It's a wonderful read and I highly recommend it. I hate to be "that guy," but sometimes I have to be. |
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