Comments on: Salt Lake City Council Officially Approves Xeriscaping http://aliberalmormon.wordpress.com/2007/07/13/salt-lake-city-council-officially-approves-xeriscaping/ Liberal politics and social commentary from a distinctly LDS perspective Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:36:16 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Cstanford http://aliberalmormon.wordpress.com/2007/07/13/salt-lake-city-council-officially-approves-xeriscaping/#comment-4816 Cstanford Tue, 17 Jul 2007 16:51:55 +0000 http://aliberalmormon.wordpress.com/2007/07/13/salt-lake-city-council-officially-approves-xeriscaping/#comment-4816 I'm very glad to read this. I live in southern New Mexico, where most people have agaves, yuccas and cacti in their yards - either that or gravel - and that seems more or less taken for granted as the norm. It's nice to see people in less extreme but still dry climates trying to plant more appropriate ground cover. Unfortunately, New Mexico State University persists in covering large parts of its campus with green grass that has to be watered just about every day (with sprinklers that spill extra water on sidewalks), then mowed every week (burning gasoline) . . . and of course nobody walks on it! It's a lot of expense to go to just for pretty green lawns. They could do something just as attractive and much more interesting by using native plants. I’m very glad to read this. I live in southern New Mexico, where most people have agaves, yuccas and cacti in their yards – either that or gravel – and that seems more or less taken for granted as the norm. It’s nice to see people in less extreme but still dry climates trying to plant more appropriate ground cover.

Unfortunately, New Mexico State University persists in covering large parts of its campus with green grass that has to be watered just about every day (with sprinklers that spill extra water on sidewalks), then mowed every week (burning gasoline) . . . and of course nobody walks on it! It’s a lot of expense to go to just for pretty green lawns. They could do something just as attractive and much more interesting by using native plants.

]]> By: Jesse Harris http://aliberalmormon.wordpress.com/2007/07/13/salt-lake-city-council-officially-approves-xeriscaping/#comment-4778 Jesse Harris Fri, 13 Jul 2007 18:43:15 +0000 http://aliberalmormon.wordpress.com/2007/07/13/salt-lake-city-council-officially-approves-xeriscaping/#comment-4778 Las Vegas mandated the use of xeriscaping on all new lawns several years ago to combat the growing demand for water (not that you'd know it based on their attempts to steal water from ranchers). Genetically-engineered grasses, the one that only need to be watered every 7-10 days, are also excellent water-saving options. Most of them are also highly durable and don't need to be mowed as often. (The downside is that because they grow slowly, you either have to wait a long time for that yard to grow in or buy expensive sod.) With proper education about the available options, I think you'll see a lot more folks getting into water-saving yards. Las Vegas mandated the use of xeriscaping on all new lawns several years ago to combat the growing demand for water (not that you’d know it based on their attempts to steal water from ranchers). Genetically-engineered grasses, the one that only need to be watered every 7-10 days, are also excellent water-saving options. Most of them are also highly durable and don’t need to be mowed as often. (The downside is that because they grow slowly, you either have to wait a long time for that yard to grow in or buy expensive sod.) With proper education about the available options, I think you’ll see a lot more folks getting into water-saving yards.

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