Southern California may have some of the best weather on the planet, but it is no stranger to environmental disasters. The record ferocity of wildfires in the preceding years, while primarily affecting northern and central California, have not left our part of the state untouched: the Woolsey fire of 2018 was one of the most destructive fires in the State’s history, dwarfed only by the other massive wildfires concurrently burning through the piled-up undergrowth in the state’s forests.
One of the primary causes for these events is the high incidence of draught in the state – California, while incredibly beautiful, is highly subject to the ever-changing weather patterns in the Pacific ocean and the consistent high pressure systems moving in from the high desert to its east. This relationship between low pressure ocean systems and high pressure desert atmospheric conditions leads to a propensity for random, yet devastating, extended periods of draught, which leaves great swathes of our forests dead and the perfect kindling for massive fires to break out.
As citizens of this great state, we’ve been rather lax in our response to these dangers, choosing to utilize far greater amounts of water than the state can reasonably produce on its own, leading to greater and greater shortages in years of draught. One of the primary culprits of this water usage is the suburban home dwellers’ favorite aspect of home ownership – our lawns!
Lawns in the state can suck up more than 100 gallons of water in a year, and with millions of homes and businesses that are looking to have that luscious green carpet in front of their doors, the compounding effect leads to an ever greater demand for water on our parched state. With many unwilling to give up the aesthetically pleasing and calming effects of their greenery, what can we, as responsible residents in the great state of California, do?
One alternative that is gaining considerable momentum in areas of southern California like Orange County and San Diego is replacing your natural grass with artificial grass. A far cry from the astroturf of football stadiums in the 1970’s, modern turf is nearly indistinguishable from the real thing, with plenty of different options for texture, color, and tactile sensation.
The growth in usage is no joke – according to a Guardian article from August 2nd, 2019, “…the market is growing. Dozens of specialist firms now market fake grass as a replacement for garden lawns. UK sales surged during last year’s record summer temperatures, according to the industry journal Hortweek, while a report by Up Market Research valued the global market at $2.5bn (£2bn) in 2016 and forecasts a “staggering” rise to $5.8bn by 2023.”
As temperatures continue to rise due to global climate change and average rain fall begin to decline in parts of the world, those who desire a greener lawn may need to begin looking for alternatives. For those of us in the beautiful southern California region who are looking to take the plunge into the world of artificial turf, we highly recommend the local company NoMow Turf, who have been servicing our communities for 15 years.
A quick perusal through their Yelp and Google Review pages reveals that the company and its owner, Pat Bray, have solid reputation for honest, competent work, and the results of their installations speaks for themselves through the pictures available.
If you’re interested in helping our state conserve water while retaining the gorgeous green of your lawn, please give the spotlighted company a look:
NoMow Turf
(866) 679-4863
26674 Vista Terrace, Lake Forest, CA 92630