Most everyone living out West is aware that fresh, usable water is in limited supply; but not everyone is taking appropriate action. The agriculture industry, which is responsible for a large percentage of the water consumption, has been adopting efficient irrigation systems for years to conserve this resource and reduce costs. Unfortunately, many landscapers, developers, and homeowners are voluntarily contributing to the water shortage by choosing to grow grass where it wouldn’t otherwise exist.
Instead of embracing the beauty of the natural landscape, Americans are consuming 7.8 million gallons of water per year to maintain lush, pristine lawns, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This accounts for 30 percent of all water use in the United States. To make matters worse, an article in the San Francisco Chronicle estimates that each year $40 million is spent on toxic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, which end up polluting the water table.
Our American culture highly values gorgeous green grass at an exorbitant cost to the environment–and for what? To keep up appearances with the neighbors, create a caca carpet for the dog, or make a date with the mower every weekend? Just think how much better off we’d be without tending turf.
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1 comment:
I agree. It is extremely stupid and silly. The worse is that many Homeowner Associations require you to maintain a green lawn or else they'll put a nice little lien on your home. Absolutely ridiculous.
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