Last month, Governor Jerry Brown proclaimed that California was, yet again, experiencing an emergency drought. A year-round warm climate and lack of rainfall have made this a regular occurrence for the Golden State, and Californians are no stranger to the repercussions.
For years, we’ve been asked to take shorter showers and refrain from watering our lawns except during designated hours, and even at times being subjected to a fine if we fail to meet certain standards. Unfortunately, for people who commute an hour or two to and from work every day (a California cultural commonality, rather than the exception) watering your lawn between 6 PM and 7 PM Monday-Thursday isn’t really a viable option.
But, considering the consequences of this long term drought, we should all be taking water conservation tactics much more seriously.
In 2013, California received an average rainfall of seven inches, far below the average 22. Experts are saying that the state is dryer than it has been in 500 years, causing Governor Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency.
It is estimated that a few rural areas within California will run out of drinking water within the next few months, and that’s just the beginning. California’s agriculture business accounts for 15% of all the nation’s crop sales. This year, due to the high cost and scarcity of water, many farmers and ranchers have been forced to abandon their fields and livestock. A decrease in food production will lead to a rise in food cost, not just for Californians, but for most Americans.
And of course, California is no stranger to wildfires, but this year, state firefighters responded to 406 incidences in the month of January alone. Terrifying wildfires, loss of drinking water, and rapidly rising food costs will be the price we’ll pay for years to come if we don’t act now and help conserve our state’s very limited remaining water supply.
As a property owner, installing artificial grass is one of the most effective ways to reduce water consumption. It cuts out water-guzzling lawn watering and eliminates the need for lawn maintenance – both of which offer property owners a big break on landscaping costs.
Check out our latest guide to learn just how much water (and money!) you can save by switching to artificial grass during the drought.
