Green Lawns Aren’t Helping the Water Crisis in the Western United States

Green Lawns Aren’t Helping, the Water Crisis in the Western United States.

CNN reports that as the state of California continues its multiyear megadrought, experts say now is the time to do away with water-guzzling grass lawns.

Starting June 1, residents who live in the Los Angeles area will be allowed to use outdoor water only once per week.

This is a crisis.

This is unprecedented.

, Adel Hagekhalil, general manager at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, via CNN.

We have never done anything like this before and because we haven’t seen this situation happen like this before.

, Adel Hagekhalil, general manager at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, via CNN.

A green lawn has long been a symbol of status in the United States.

As maintaining a lawn requires massive amounts of water, experts say it's time to rethink how we manage them.

You want to have some space in your backyard for your kids to play, so a little patch of grass is not terrible.

, John Fleck, director of Water Resources Program at the University of New Mexico, via CNN.

It’s just the big expanse of lawn – that’s really not being used other than ‘because it looks pretty’ – that has got to go.

, John Fleck, director of Water Resources Program at the University of New Mexico, via CNN.

That’s what we can’t have anymore.

, John Fleck, director of Water Resources Program at the University of New Mexico, via CNN.

We just can’t afford the water for it.

, John Fleck, director of Water Resources Program at the University of New Mexico, via CNN .

We just can’t afford the water for it.

, John Fleck, director of Water Resources Program at the University of New Mexico, via CNN