WATER INDUSTRY NEWS
CA water leaders vote ‘yes’ to fake-grass rebates
LOS ANGELES — In an effort to save water, the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) has approved a measure to give homeowners in drought-plagued Southern California a rebate for using synthetic turf, a July 11 North County Times story said.
Lawn watering makes up 50 to 70 percent of the water used by homeowners, according to the story.
Water officials think this is the first time in Southern California’s history that such an incentive has been offered.
Las Vegas offered rebates in 2002 and still continues to do so.
According to MWD spokesman Bob Muir, the rebates will equal 30 cents per square foot of turf. In Las Vegas, $1 per square foot is offered.
Encinitas, CA, Mayor James Bond, who is also a member of the Water Authority and Metropolitan boards, said he thinks this is a better plan than encouraging homeowners to xeriscape. Bond said in the story, “People still like green grass. It's part of the culture. And a culture shift takes time.”
The rebates will be offered to the agency's 18 million customers.
The real reason Dalager's tool sharpening shop closed down. Artificial turf gets vacuumed, not mowed.
Former city council candidate Doug Long has an artificial lawn in front of his plumbing business on Second Street in downtown Encinitas.
Perfect for the new fakies moving into the area like San Elijo Hills. Fake Money (debt), Fake Tits, Fake Grass. Makes sense.
ReplyDeleteCondition all new developements with a ban natural grass lawns. Lets see how that goes over with the development crowd.
Is the fake grass made from Hydrocarbons? How much pollution is caused by making fake grass? Does the fake grass convert CO2 to O2? How much water does it take to produce the fake grass in the factories? What kind of diseases will children get from ingesting fake grass?
ReplyDeleteWho cares, its fake and looks green!
It reminds of the Joni Mitchell song: "Pave paradise put up a parking lot, only change the words to "pave paradise, put in some astro-turf." What do the kids want? I cannot imagine playing on fake grass, but then, I can't imagine a lot of things this City is doing and getting away with. Perhaps my imagination has just left me altogether speechless-nah!
ReplyDeleteThink of it as an outdoor carpet.
ReplyDeleteDoug,
ReplyDeleteWhy hasn't the city converted some its sports fields to this fake stuff? You can play on it 24/7 365 days a year! Unlike real turf that needs to be given a breather.
It also is cheaper over the long run. No one has to be paid to care for mowing, watering, maintaining it.
OK Dr. Lorri:
ReplyDeleteWho did this one?
"You roll on roads over fresh green grass,
With your lary roads and your petro gas.
Turn on summer with a slot machine
Pick what you want, when you want, cause you can have everything.
I know we've come a long way, we're changin day to day,
but, where do the children play."
Give me a hard one. That's Cat Stevens( or the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens.) The Album (or C.D. for the younger folks) is Tea for the Tillerman. Great album, BTW.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the athletes and throughbred horses think of Astro Turf? Can't ask the horses, but given the number of deaths last year, it makes me wonder. How about we add golf courses to the list, if in fact they are not already astro-turfed? Does everything have to be about development in a desert( or is it dessert?)? Why don't we stop building and let us keep our grass and native plants? What a concept, Mr. Barratt American.
Someone asked a good question on another post. Is cannabis a native plant? Inquiring minds want to know. It sure doesn't take much water, as it is a weed, if memory serves me correctly. Also good for nausea in chemo and AIDS patients, as well as other medicinal uses. But then again, our County officials don't want to understand that either.
I thought all you old school Leucadia hippies wanted to save water and cut down pesticide use?
ReplyDeleteFrom Wikipedia entry about the lawn:
ReplyDeleteCriticisms
A number of criticisms of lawns are based on environmental grounds:
* Many lawns are composed of a single species of plant, or of very few species, which reduces biodiversity, especially if the lawn covers a large area. In addition, they may be composed primarily of plants not local to the area, which can further decrease local biodiversity.
* Lawns are sometimes cared for by using pesticides and other chemicals, which can be harmful to the environment if misused.
* Maintaining a green lawn often requires large amounts of water. This was not a problem in temperate England where the concept of the lawn originated, as natural rainfall was sufficient to maintain a lawn's health. However the exporting of the lawn ideal to more arid regions of the world, such as the U.S. Southwest, has crimped already scarce water resources in such areas, requiring larger, more environmentally invasive water supply systems. Grass typically goes dormant during cold, winter months, and turns brown during hot, dry summer months, thereby reducing its demand for water. Many property owners consider this "dead" appearance unacceptable and therefore increase watering during the summer months. Grass can also recover quite well from a drought.
* In the United States lawn heights are generally maintained by gasoline-powered lawnmowers, which contribute to urban smog during the summer months. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that in some urban areas, up to 5% of smog was due to pre-1997 small gasoline engines such as are typically used on lawnmowers. Since 1997, the EPA has mandated emissions controls on newer engines in an effort to reduce smog.
dr. lorri should not blame the developers. Blame the government officials that continue to upzone and sign off on documents saying that there is enough water for new developments.
ReplyDeleteAs for JP's follow up post,
1) Biodiversity issues in the front yard. Give us a break. Environmentalism becoming religion is bad because people stop thinking. Lawn biodiversity. Why should we care?
2) Home gardeners collectively are some of the biggest polluters of our waterways. That is a good point, but it is also possible to have a nice lawn without being a consumer of the idea that you need lots of chemicals.
3) Water shortage, what water shortage? In all reality, please conserve water so that Barratt can build its massive east county developments and create more demand.
4) Get a push mower, an electric mower or buy a clean burning mower.
Good point p crack. I don't blame the developers for making their huge profits if they can. I do shame them, as they are part of the problem. Perhaps I have been looking in the wrong direction. The thing I DO KNOW is that we live in a desert, and at some point we WILL reach critical mass on water. WHAT THEN? Guess we will find out, since no one wants to take responsibility for doing anything. Cutting back a little on watering plants just isn't going to be enough. Lots of people want to live here, as pointed out in the L.A. Times, and the N.C.Times the other day. When is it time to say enough? Or do we not get that option?
ReplyDeleteNice posts, Dr. Lorri, JP, and all.
ReplyDeleteI was taught the way to remember the difference between dessert and desert is that one wants two helpings (two s's) of dessert, only one helping of a dry desert . . .
Issues:
ReplyDeleteThe city can hire a fake grass administrator at 150,000 a year. What do the fireman think. If it is synthetic does it burn and release deadly gases? Where would all our illegal aliens work?
Hey, I was just at Fstreet and they were raided by the nuddy bar police.
ReplyDeleteWhat next? The government will be micromanaging your tire pressure?
gesh
artificial turf! I'd fuck on dat.
ReplyDeleteYet another big nasty crash on HW101 just north of Grandview. At least 4 cars were all mangled. Its time for an all way stop at Grandview. What is the City waiting for more kids to die at that location to put in the controls.
ReplyDeleteI have an idea. do it before someone else dies and save a life.
I don't see the downside. Oh- Maybe more Carlsbad Commuters will take I5 instead of our local road. Wouldn't that be a shame.
this has to happen. I wonder when Council will have the balls to direct staff to save some residents lives and put in the all way stop at Grandview.
P_crack, are you for real are just playing the designated asshole?
ReplyDelete"Biodiversity issues in the front yard. Give us a break. Environmentalism becoming religion is bad because people stop thinking. Lawn biodiversity. Why should we care?"
If you don't know why you should care about the environment I suggest you move to Carlsbad.
And as for your claim about environmentalism causing people to stop thinking... What's your excuse?
I guess the Crack of Dawn better watch out for "str said", too. You, sir, are no Lenny Bruce.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with lawns is that they use an enormous amount of water, and water is something we just don't have a lot of around here in Southern California, although you'd never know that by looking.
ReplyDeleteWater projects bring in water from northern California (the Delta), Owens Valley, and the Colorado River. Each of these areas is experiencing drought conditions, as well as impacts from these water diversions.
So, maybe fake grass isn't your thing, but something is going to need to be done. In the long run, we're all going to have to get by with using less water.
You can find out more about Southern California water issues by visiting http://aquafornia.com.
There is a joint meeting of the San Dieguito Water District and City Council this coming Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteHow about a rebate for those who choose to plant natives instead of real or fake grass!
ReplyDeleteIt seams to me that is the best route to take. We are proping up the fake grass guys but ignoring the native planters.
We also need to remember that the production of artificial turf is adds considerably to the pollution problem.
ReplyDeleteWe also need to remember that the production of cow burps and Bob farts are a threat contributing to global warming. We can't really blame the cows for doing what comes naturally, but BOB on the other hand...
ReplyDeleteInstalling occasional cisterns along 101 would not only fix the drainage problem in Leucadia but trickle water to the now parched medians year round. But nooooooo.
ReplyDeleteBob farts? How juvenile. I guess mature discourse would be to much to ask from someone unwilling to post under thier own name.
ReplyDelete