Where mulch used to come from the excess of trees used for paper, now due to popularity, cypress trees are being cut down wholesale just for mulch, and at a rate that's outstripping what the land can keep up with. Cypress swamps are actually one of Louisiana's protections against hurricanes, and these swamps are being devastated... for mulch of all things. I mean, really, shouldn't all the homeowners be composting at this point?

If you must mulch, use pine bark, pine straw or melaleuca chips. Or get free mulch made of recycled lawn waste picked up by the county*. I mean, really, what's better than free and recycled?

* Don't forget to recycle your Christmas trees! (pdf)