There’s something about a lush, perfectly manicured patch of green in front of a house that’s quintessentially American. In fact: about 80 percent of homes in the United States have lawns. But growing and maintaining those blades comes with a hefty price tag.
Lawn care, with its constant watering, weeding, fertilizing, and mowing is a $40-billion-a-year industry. And there’s an environmental cost, too. Lawn upkeep is a giant waste of water. The EPA estimates landscape irrigation accounts for nearly one-third of all residential water use — totaling nearly 9 billion gallons per day. That’s a figure that water-pinched states (such as California, Kansas, and New Mexico) cannot afford to squander for a money-, resource-, and time-suck crop that isn’t even edible.
Now, the Sacramento, California City Council has unanimously voted for a “cash for grass” program that will give rebates to residents for getting rid of their lawns and replacing it with drought-friendly plants. (Lovely, lower maintenance alternatives include perennials, shrubs, stone walkways or fruit and vegetable gardens.) The idea is that homeowners will receive 50 cents per square foot of lawn, up to 1,000 feet. The city has set aside $100,000 for the program and rebates will be issued in April.
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While the spending plan hasn’t yet been finalized, the Sacramento Bee reports that enthusiasm is high for the program and there’s already a waiting list of eager residents. “I think this will really help our residents make a difference in saving water,” said Councilman Kevin McCarty, who proposed the program. “I think it’s time that as a city, we help incentivize action in conservation.”
So could California’s lawns be in peril? With no end to this historic drought in sight, it’s a simple sacrifice that lawn lovers just might have to make.
Tag: California drought
How Catfish Can Help Solve California’s Water Woes
At Ouroboros Farms in Pescadero, Calif., you will find vegetables growing year round thanks to surprising set of helpers — catfish. These aquatic farmers are part of Ouroboros’ aquaponics system that’s becoming an answer to California’s parched farms, Bloomberg News reports.
California’s record-breaking drought necessitates the need for new ways to grow food. Although it’s expensive to set up (the Ouroboros system cost $60,000), aquaponics saves money in the long run, and more importantly, the system conserves our precious natural resources. Aquaponics actually uses up to 90 percent less water than traditional farming. Another beauty of aquaponics is that less land is used and it can be set up indoors. This means urban environments can have access to fresh, organic produce without having it shipped from elsewhere in the country.
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You can check out the video above to see how aquaponics replicates the way plants and animals work together in nature. As the catfish create waste, the plants suck it up as nutrients; no soil, pesticides or other toxins required. These fish are also sold as a source of protein so nothing goes to waste. Now that sounds like a tasty — and sustainable — solution.
The Silver Lining to California’s Terrible Drought
Who knew there would be a bright side to California’s devastating drought? As the sun beats down on the west coast and dries up everything in sight, the state’s solar energy is covering the drop in hydroelectricity, the San Jose Mercury News reports.
Hydroelectricity plants — which are powered by flowing water — provide 15 percent of the state’s electricity. And while California’s recent rainfall was a much-needed break from the state’s drought worries, it wasn’t enough. This is why solar is more important than ever. “Solar not only helps California’s economy and environment, it’s also the smart way to go if you want to conserve water resources,” Solar Energy Industries Association spokesman Ken Johnson told the publication. “Solar panels use almost no water, while nuclear, coal and natural gas facilities can use thousands of gallons per megawatt hour, depending on the technology and the facility.”
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With no end in sight to the drought, at least the state has a fantastic source of renewable energy for its electric needs. “We’re going to have enough power to keep the lights on: We are not concerned about blackouts or outages,” Robert Weisenmiller, chairman of the California Energy Commission told the newspaper. “We are much less dependent on hydropower now than we were in the 1940s. In just the last year, we’ve added more than 1,000 megawatts of solar alone.”
How One City Is Stepping Up to Help Solve Our Fresh Water Worries
With parts of the country running short on fresh water, San Diego is pushing forward on a deceptively simple solution — turning ocean water into drinking water. As Aljazeera America reports, the Carlsbad desalination plant that’s currently under state-approved construction is a $1 billion project to help solve our country’s water shortage.
Parts of the Middle East and Africa already operate large desalination plants, but similar projects are getting some push-back in the states. That’s because desalinating salt water can suck up a lot of energy and hinder less-invasive conservation efforts such as recycling waste water. However, with no end in sight to California’s drought, tapping the resources of the Pacific Ocean is necessary if conditions worsen. “Without doing desalination [and] without having another source of supply, we would clearly have shortages of water,” said Sandy Kerl, deputy general manager of San Diego Water Authority.
Once construction is complete in 2016, the Carlsbad plant will have the capacity to produce 50 million gallons of drinking water per day and provide 300,000 San Diego County residents with locally controlled, fresh drinking water.
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