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by mspurlin

Last Post 42 days, 9 hours Ago


Would You Pour Gasoline On the Ground?
May 29, 2008 | 2:53 PM
Category: News
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Probably not with prices reaching more than $4 a gallon.  But every day i walk by and see people doing something even more stupid.  Pouring water on grass. 

For some reason unknown to me my entire life, people seem to get all excited about growing grass in their yards.  Often times, these grasses are not native plants or drought resistant and require intensive care.  I.E. massive watering.  Why just today i saw a woman, at high noon, watering a patch of gas with a garden hose (which should be illegal but is the lone loophole in the city's new watering ordinance.)

My question is WHY?  Why on earth would anybody waste money, water, pollute the environment with fertilizer that gets into our water, for what?  to look at this crap?




All the grasses do is waste our most precious resource, water.

It is called XERISCAPING people!  Learn about it.  Plant things in your yards that do not require watering.  Go to those last bastions of totalitarianism  in America, Home Owner's Associations, and demand the right to plant things other than grass that requires watering.

It is the single most important thing you can do to be eco-friendly.  We are going to run out of water at this pace before we run out of oil.  So if you want to be Earth friendly, don't worry about cloth bags at the grocery store, or hybrid cars, but get rid of the terrible grass. 
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Member Comments Total Comments: 8
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austin4ever
May 29, 2008 | 10:04 PM

I have been lobbying for this in our Homeowner's meetings for a year now and you would think I have asked people to sell their first born! The reaction was utter disbelief that I would suggest doing away with some of the "green areas" for "rocks and ugly cactus" Well that wasn't really what I had in mind but none the less it was not to be heard. Our aquifers are being compromised daily. Pollutants that use to take weeks to filter through now show up in the water at Barton Springs within a fraction of that time. We need to get behind this effort. Thanks for your blog!
Brer-Rabbit read my blog
May 30, 2008 | 8:51 AM

I am in the same boat as austin4ever. I would love to xeriscape my yard but am not allowed under my homeowners agreement.

Here is a question to guage everyone's libetarian views...Should the city get involved via zoning? Should the city council outlaw any bylaws mandating green grass lawns?

If done well, natural austin landscapes can look great.
Judgenot read my blog view my photos
May 30, 2008 | 11:34 AM

I’m sure you could use the argument with these homeowners association that with Austin’s desire to build green they surely shouldn’t snub their nose at wanting to Xerix scape to protect our water source. I believe you can have these homeowner association rules changed it’s 2008 we live in a different time.
mspurlin read my blog view my photos
May 30, 2008 | 4:06 PM

The most libertarian thing to do, Brer, is for the city of Austin to pass laws that override the restrictions of home owner's associations. It would give freedom to home owners to do whatever they like with the space in front of their home. That is libertarianism at its core.
Judgenot read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 10:14 AM

Good Lord Mspurlin I don’t think we should do away with homeowners that’s crazy but when it comes to making your yard more adaptable to the environment and less maintenance I think we should re- think the whole idea grass is better than say stone, and heat tolerant plants.
Debby5855 read my blog
May 31, 2008 | 11:58 AM

While I have to agree that using xeriscaping is nice, I don't think anyone (including the City of Austin) has the right to tell me how I must landscape my yard. When you move into a subdivision that has a strict homeowners association you know what you are getting into and are supposed to abide by the covenants of that association. However, it smacks of Big Brother when you think everyone should be forced to use xeriscaping. People just need to use discretion and practice conservation in their own way.
Judgenot read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 10:36 PM

I totally agree Debby, but I’ve lived in my home for 16 years and 16 years ago I loved the idea of a nice lawn lots of watering no problem, but now with water becoming as valuable as gas I just think people should be able to create an environment that is less dependent on water. I also agree with you that it should be an option not mandatory.
nascently view my photos
Jun 2, 2008 | 6:08 PM

I might agree that one's landscaping should mostly be optional, I would not agree that wasting water should be.

Water, like most all resources is underpriced - meaning we do not pay the price necessary to prevent or mitigate environmental damage caused by that resources extraction and usage.

The answer is simple. Make water cost what it should and when people find themselves paying $20 to water their lawn each day xeriscaping will start looking pretty sweet.
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mspurlin

I graduated from UT in 2004 and then again in 2006. I now live in Austin and am a webproducer for myfoxaustin.com. I have lived in Austin for about 8 years and will never leave, I love it too much. I am a huge supporter of the Longhorns, and actually attended both Rose Bowls. It is important that you remember the opinions expressed in this blog are mine, mine only, and that they are right. If you disagree with them, that of course means that you are completely wrong and should adjust your opinions accordingly.

Member Since: 4/20/2007


 

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