That’s the origin of the front lawn–to let your neighbors know that you can afford not to graze sheep but have the time and money to tend to a patch of non-productive green grass instead.
And widespread lawn competition is a significant problem. It’s expensive, it wastes water, uses fossil fuels and sequesters little in the way of carbon.
Here are a few simple things you can do to make an impact, from small to important:
- Turn off the auto timer. Many lawn water systems are set to water the lawn on a regular cadence. Shutting off the auto control and paying attention to when the lawn needs water will ensure you aren’t over watering during times when the rain is taking care of the lawn for you.
- Look to replace your irrigation control system with one that has been certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a WaterSense controller that meets their criteria for efficiency and performance. Learn more about the WaterSense label here.
- Get rid of your grass. There are many beautiful, resilient, low-water, locally appropriate alternatives. It might not make the lawnmower industry happy, but that’s okay.
- Once you take the lead and eliminate your lawn, you’ll have the best ad possible for encouraging your neighbors to do the same. An entire block of grass-free lawns soon becomes a town and then a region. We’ll all save water, money and fuel, while creating more resilient and beautiful neighborhoods.