By Nneka Nwogwugwu
In Las Vegas, Nevada, a new law has been passed to get rid off grass as a result of climate change.
“When we look at outdoor water use in Southern Nevada, United States, landscaping far and away is the largest water user, and of that, it’s grass,” said Bronson Mack of the Las Vegas Water Authority.
The city’s already pulled up about four million square feet of grass on public property so far this year, because thirsty green parkways are something they just can’t afford anymore.
“The grass that you see behind me is not long for this world.
“In fact, within the next couple of months to a year, this grass will be completely eliminated, and it’ll be replaced with drip-irrigated trees and plants.
“And every drip counts. So, water waste investigators (also known as water cops) patrol the neighborhoods, taking note of who’s watering when, and how much of that water goes down the drain,” he said.
Living through the summer of 2022 has made climate change harder to deny, whether here in bone-dry Nevada, or in the Caribbean, where rampant seaweed growth is choking beaches; or Kentucky, where too much water created a tragedy that’s still unfolding.
He added that climate change has become a climate emergency.