Daily Water-Saving Tip #61 on the state of California’s website suggests, “Dig up that old shrub and replace it with a low water-use plant.” It may seem trivial, considering that the state’s water deficit stands at 11 trillion gallons according to NASA, but sound reasoning backs up the suggestion. These days in California, to have a green lawn—traditionally the hallmark of the American dream—is to wear a scarlet letter: a 1,000-square-foot yard guzzles between 35,000 and 75,000 gallons annually says the Association of California Water Agencies. Some people have gone so far as to paint their crisp lawns green.
On April Fools Day, California governor Jerry Brown, standing on a brown swath of grass at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas—usually still deep in snow that time of year—made an announcement that wasn’t a joke: for the first time in the state’s history, he imposed a 25 percent water reduction on cities across the state (farms were excluded). This means replacing 50 million square feet of lawns with drought- friendly landscaping, and it requires cemeteries, campuses, and golf courses to cut back on irrigation. It will also issue a temporary rebate program for efficient appliances, and calls for updating standards for toilets and faucets.
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