California homeowners have recently had some cause to rejoice: The crippling, unrelenting drought has–at least temporarily–been disrupted by El Niño, seemingly heralding the start of a long overdue rainy season. As much of the state is drenched with rain, many are hailing the storm as a sign that things will be getting better, particularly for water-starved lawns that have suffered under watering restrictions.
Still, to say that El Niño has put an end to Californians water worries might be premature. Regardless of whether conditions worsen or improve, homeowners can still enjoy a lush, green lawn by installing artificial grass.
‘That’s All She Wrote’
El Niño’s heavy rains in some areas of the state for many have signaled the impending return to business as usual, including the normal watering and upkeep of natural lawns. Yet already deep in the rainy season, the rainfall is being described by many as “too little, too late.”
“February was incredibly warm and dry,” said David Pierce, a researcher at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, speaking to The Atlantic. “If you look at the curves of El Niño, February to April is when we see rainy years differentiate themselves. It’s already March. There’s another six weeks of wet season, then that’s all she wrote.”
The continuation of the drought is an unwelcome prospect and it has given rise to desperate measures as legislators struggle to meet the water needs of homeowners and businesses alike.
Artificial Grass Aids Conservation
With it unclear how long the rains will continue and what kind of meaningful impact they will have on the drought, conservation efforts are still very important. Many have responded by uprooting lawns entirely, but this can leave unattractive patches of soil and stone.
That’s where artificial grass can help. In addition to dramatically reducing the amount of water required for landscaping, with artificial grass not requiring any mowing, it also helps reduce the gas and oil spills that can be caused by refueling lawn mowers as well as lawn mower emissions.
Already Californians have began embracing the virtues of artificial grass in response to the drought. Recent legislation has made it even easier to install artificial grass, defying reluctant Homeowners Associations.
The Department of Water and Power in Los Angeles has offered grass-removal incentives of up to $3 per square foot of landscaping replaced by a low-water alternative. Even better, California homeowners are now able to earn up to $6,000 in natural turf removal rebates, with commercial customers earning as much as $25,000-$50,000 for turf replacement.
“With the current drought conditions, we’re encouraging customers to choose their home landscape wisely so that it will help conserve more water in the long run,” says Rich Svindland, VP of Operations for California American Water. Purchase Green’s artificial grass represents the best alternative to traditional lawns–not simply for its contribution to sustainability, but also for its versatility and ease in upkeep.
If you have questions about artificial grass and are interesting in replacing your natural lawn with a water-saving synthetic one, contact us for a free quote.