According to the USEPA “the average American family uses 320 gallons of water per day, about 30 percent of which is devoted to outdoor uses. More than half of that outdoor water is used for watering lawns and gardens. Nationwide, landscape irrigation is estimated to account for nearly one-third of all residential water use, totaling nearly 9 billion gallons per day.” We are talking about potable water here!
The USEPA then goes on to say that “in dry climates such as the Southwest, a household’s outdoor water use can be as high as 60 percent. In addition, some experts estimate that as much as 50 percent of water used for irrigation is wasted due to evaporation, wind, or runoff caused by inefficient irrigation methods and systems.”
Instead of wasting potable water on a large lawn area, why not use native plants to create a beautiful yard and lessen the lawn area in your carbon footprint? Native plants which evolved with the climate and the insects and other wildlife, and that will survive on their own once-established without additional water and fertilizer. For more information about establishing a more sustainable yard.
Leave a Reply