Question
because I want my lawn to be environmentally friendly and  my lawn is not doing so well. i have clover here and there but that is not what worries me, it is the grass. I see some brown patches and spots where once grass use to be. I really would like my green thick grass to come back,  please any ideas what i can do i can really use some  expertise in this department.

Answer
Joanna,
I know neither where you are located nor what type of grass you have.  I can only guess that the problem is drought, drought stress, or some pest in the root zone.
If the drought is not the case, there are many lawn diseases which can surface in hot weather.
Irrigation should relieve drought symptoms.  Other than that, a regime of soil building, careful management, and attention to detail will give you the lawn you seek, for most of the year.
Expect drought to take its toll for any but the most hardy summer turf.
If the brown patches are grubs, treatment with Milky Spore, liquid or granular.
Soil building has many officianados and techniques.  I settled on compost as the most complete and beneficial material to use for fertility, pest management, moisture retention, recovery from stress, and good germination for overseeding.  Application in fall for winter grasses, in spring and fall for summer grasses.
I trust that this gives you some tools with which to work.
If you have doubts about the culprit causing brown spots, take grass samples to local ag agent for diagnosis. You do not have to take recommendations on treatment.  Dig under roots of dead grass at edges of effected areas to see if grubs are active.  You can not miss them - size of one or two digits of finger and white.
Best of luck,
Tom