Arizona Bans Natural Grass in Future Homes Due to Drought

Arizona grapples with an intense drought and sweltering heat, and the city of Scottsdale is taking firm action to conserve water. The Scottsdale City Council has unanimously voted to ban natural grass in the front yards of future single-family homes.

Source: Vox/YouTube

This groundbreaking new ordinance, effective for houses constructed or permitted after August 15, represents Scottsdale’s commitment to innovative water Conservation. Brian Biesemeyer, executive director of Scottsdale’s water department, proudly stated that Scottsdale aims to set a regional example with this initiative.

Interestingly, the majority of Scottsdale’s water customers seem to be on board with this green endeavor. A survey conducted in June revealed an impressive 86% of respondents supporting the ordinance. The city council expressed their delight at this result, emphasizing the initiative’s alignment with the city’s existing water-saving programs for both residential and commercial spaces.

This is one among many attempts by Arizona to respond to the water scarcity issue exacerbated by rising temperatures, decreasing groundwater reserves, and persistent drought conditions. The Phoenix area is already experiencing construction limits due to the rapid decline in groundwater. The Arizona State Climate Office confirms that parts of Arizona have been dealing with a long-term drought since the mid-90s.

Before the grass-free ordinance, Scottsdale’s officials urged residents to cut down their water use by 5%. Government operations followed suit, reducing water usage by 9%. This collective effort reportedly resulted in savings of approximately 657 million gallons of water.

The ban on natural grass comes at a time when Arizona is experiencing extreme heat, with daily temperatures in Phoenix consistently hitting 110 degrees Fahrenheit. As scientists warn of a potentially record-breaking year in 2023 for global temperatures, Scottsdale’s proactive steps to conserve water underscores the importance of local actions in the face of a global climate crisis.

Planet B Not Found Tee by Tiny Rescue: Climate Collection

Related Content:

• Uruguay’s Struggle with Drought: Seeking Solutions to Water Scarcity
• Climate Activists Turn Rome’s Iconic Fountain into a Symbol of Drought and Crisis
• Venice Canals Run Dry Amid Fears of Another Drought in Italy
• How California, Arizona, and Other Western States Are Creating New Water Supply During Drought
• Over 200 Elephants and Thousand Other Wild Animals Die Amid Kenya Drought

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and essential stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!