Why You Should Consider Removing Lawn Irrigation Equipment
More and more, the world has to go greener and greener - which includes less and less green lawns. Have you ever stopped to think about how many resources a green lawn wastes? It is basically just green concrete. If you can get away with removing your lawn and removing lawn irrigation equipment where you live, do so. You will be doing your neighborhood and the planet a big favor.
What's The Deal?
For some bizarre reason, Westerners (especially Americans), take a great pride in having a green lawn. This lawn is merely ornamental - it doesn't go to feed themselves or any animals. Native plants are often ruthlessly exterminated in favor of a sterile green lawn. People revere green lawns so much that they spend a fortune installing and maintaining lawn irrigation equipment, which serves NO other purpose than to water lawns.
In "A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder", authors Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman examines America's unhealthy addiction to lawns. (Not only is our country addicted to oil - we are also addicted to lawns). Lawns and lawn irrigation equipment have become status symbols that extol order and harmony.
But at a huge environmental cost. Since grass lawns have very shallow roots, they cannot store water for very long. This is why most water poured onto it just runs off. This is why many lawns need lawn irrigation equipment in the first place. If you are like many lawn owners who place dangerous chemical pesticides, weed killers and fertilizers on your lawn, these dangerous chemicals just run off with the water and enter your public drinking water supply.
Viva Las Vegas
Some areas of the world do not have the money or water to waste on lawns. Las Vegas (not known for frugality) is a desert town where grass lawns do horribly, unless given a huge investment in water and lawn irrigation equipment. The southern states of America are projected to be in a fresh water crisis by 2013 UNLESS something is done now.
So, Las Vegas has been rewarding homeowners who remove lawn irrigation equipment and lawns with $2 per square foot for properties less than 1500 square feet and $1 for those over 1500 square feet. This program is working much better than forcing people to give up their lawns with anti-lawn legislation.
Hopefully, we can all soon give up our addiction to lawns and lawn irrigation equipment. Not only will we save money and water, but we will also help save our planet for generations to come.
