|
<br />(.
<br />
<br />T
<br />
<br />
<br />A3
<br />
<br />The lawn industry'would .
<br />rather talk about the many bene-
<br />fits of grass. , '_'_ '
<br />Gr8S5 controls el'Otlori; and, .t
<br />like a sponge, it traps particu-
<br />lates and cuts down on dust.
<br />Grass absorbs carbon dioxide
<br />and releases generous amounts
<br />of oxygen. And it has a tremen-
<br />dous cooling effect, with a sur-
<br />'fsce temperature 30 degrees less
<br />. than asilhalt and 1'4 degrees less ;
<br />. than dirt.
<br />The water that trickles
<br />'through the soU returns to the
<br />! water table where It slowly .
<br />! heads back to creeks or aqulfen.
<br />Or it evaporates, adding humid-
<br />ity to our dry climate.
<br />I "Bluegrass is a wonderful '.
<br />plant," sald Bob Short,. a Sp~lngs
<br />
<br />.' . :' ~
<br />: SUNDAY, JUNE 22, .9iiti
<br />
<br />at~t u~triples~tldtii}g~~e:' '~~r:. .".';, ',.,'
<br />much moisture their grass needs, . '0 ,,"'; I."" . \, I hI- _. ,I at we don t want to see ,away valuable water from rlVerB
<br />flood lawns with two to three "I "I l. , ., ,~ t f, ~~~j~-;:;.~,., 1:1 hoenlxyarda,wherepeople andwetlands,degradingth08e
<br />times more water than required. , f : ~ tea b u'1. ";00' 'II 't'., '~, _, I. ~e in and rock the whole waterways and the wildlife that
<br />They also waste water, using au- m rusw.-a y 0 ~, ec }Ve :~"Wll' yard,"saidLlndaWarren,who depends on them. ", ,
<br />tomatic sprlnlder systems that. -d 0'. . .' .1-,,.,. T-' ",', 1'1' ?n8 a eompany that assists "I'mfrustratedbyourcollec-::'.'
<br />run even while It rains, And .' eClSIOn to sacnflCe our fIvers fOf, the ';': tpborhoods In enforCing tlve decision to sacrifice our ;
<br />many sprinklensend hundreds .. . J'~ .' " ,', co ,nants, rlvenlforthesakeofurbanirri~'
<br />of Jalllnallonolnto the ''7~' " sake of urban irrIgatIOn when that sa" , ' It I, nota d..tnble appear- gatlon wh" tha,'..,holoe we ;,'
<br />y. many peop e 0 no, h' d 't h' t" ak ". . ,,~' --i an' to have the coldness of don't have to make," said Bill
<br />:~Ifu~~~"dep~:':1:~ltng, c O,Ice W~ . on, I' ave .~ m, . .~.. '." ".~;l~."~Ti-," ~You,,:~, ,t a yard that is Baker,adlrectorforthe' ',:'
<br />compoatandnutrientsthat . '.. '.: director for the Duran-.o-ilaiHcr COlontdoRtven:Alllance', wel,~ming. (";",' Durango-.based Colorado RJven.
<br />Id h 1 I' 1 -" Ith "t ..:. . e Housing and Buildl.... As- Alliance. i .
<br />wou e p grow u~, w ou . .' :. -'! -,; l:' ..;."", . I '" '''I~~'-~ " .,,,q ._BIII Baker ''0 - tal Def '
<br />so much water, Or they mow ,', " '. .' .: . ;- :. ,atiopofColoradoSprlngs . The Environmen ense
<br />grass too short, making It less , .' '.. , ... ,/ ';';'~;I;"";'; .:' "-;;';i.:j~I'~ J~:~~:J;';"""',,--,'..~j.l \,,~~~hePikesfeakReglo~, Fund,awashington,D,C.-based::.
<br />tolerant of heat and drough~ resident who, as a volunteer '_'! .,r "I came.here from Iowa, ,;,:'1: i' rj'~ t taken a position on the or-, group that pushes for more mar:-.
<br />. with Colorado Springs Utilities where you didn't have to w, ate, r';-~,'I' \!>On,:' ce, But one local developer, ket-based solutions to environ- :.
<br />'; helps educate the publiC on the' your lawn (because of the,~_:' (j j }Mnt Pet~ of Nor'wood Ltd, said mental problems, would like to ! .
<br />Omelals Wu.t fts1d~~ : benefits of landscaping with ,i" -:;: rain)," he "said._ "I saw an these" ;i.t:h"Md., oesn t see any big problem,' see more changes In how water :-
<br />to ftnd options to' grass , drought-tolerant plants. "It re-. ": people here watering,- watering, .t~_the Idea. He said develop- is priced, making those who use
<br />coven quickly. from abuse, it tol-' watering. 1 sald, 'My God"l', .." I,-e!, who include grass require- . more pay higher rates than
<br />erates drought, it can go dor-'_.,' _ they're Wling all thl!l water, It L~~nts are responding to a public those who conserve.
<br />. mant, Ulen come bsck after you _ must cost a 10t.'.These people, ~:.:~.. . ",' ". Whatever the case, pressure
<br />water it:'_; .:, ,...." J ..>:' ....:'.._,; '..aren't on the banks of the Mta;.,_', '" .. 'e'pubUc WlU\ts green. " to reduce water use wili only .
<br />ButShort~who.has a large : 'slsslppi,River: '~.'~, .;. .;~. "," hesald.."And we try and row. Ne~,federU:llawsrequlre.
<br />spreadofgraashlmself-lJug~ :1""&111 I;bn h'I'd-- "f' ~i-i:!gi, :thepublicwhattheywant:'. 1I;)w.now toileUandshowen,
<br />gests some people should com- " ~~ ng peo,p e. t e ea 0 " ~':, _ .~... . _ ' , be installed in all new homes. k .
<br />promise a bit. ,,':-' , ";~", ,..".J :,Iess grass fan t easy; Just ~j" ~:; lorado Spririgs U~litles of- . And many utilities-are finding:" .
<br />"Uke80 many things In life .,; ~Colorado Springs Utlllties~ '. ." emphasize they re not _ more ways to re-use treated ' .
<br />we' overdo It," he said, "People~ ;:iwhich~.has taken plenty o,f heat',iq~t~7bIUegrass,,, but say they' '. wastewater _ Including study) .
<br />want somethlnglWlh and green. "for its ~roposal to'keep home- ,~t1;ii~ to look to the fu~re, whl!n ing how to treat It 80 thoroughly'
<br />that really feels like a carpet. If j iownen associations from re-'. .~\ ' .Ity may be twice)ts current It can be used for drinking. ,
<br />people would lower their expec., . qu1ring residents to plant graas., . as well as encourage peopie -'. . !
<br />tations they could save a lot ot ...~The proposal will go to City;,:.,'::'" . k of options to grass. ; In the past, rules like these. _ i' .
<br />,: - iCouncll July 8 ., .-t."'f " " were often imp.lemented during'
<br />water. . '.,. .~1":': 1- f .-.... ,':' "~-H"<c, yenvironmentallstsagree drongt-tts,'i." ;'
<br />GuyJohnaon,ahomeowner ..: Recently---laftergettlng rules putting reasonable ,..... ..'_\ /. . "
<br />near Vaiiey Hi Golf Course, has ;'(;earful ft9m homeowner groups on, bluegrass or other ,:"1 think this is going to be- '
<br />landscaped his back yard with - )..:- officials'yanked a'provislon - requiring a lot of water come what we all need to get," '.'
<br />shrubs, low-water plants and .. ' ;that w9uid have applied the orr, ,.a step in the right dir~t1on. used ~," sald Jean Wlther,ipooni"
<br />bark. He said he's "Just trying ..'.; 'dlnanee to existing nelghbor-',4;~1l ,.--say-resldents' insistence on conservation manager for the '!
<br />'to do my part," for the '-.' . ~'jhoods. Nowi it would only appIY')~;' ng things that wouldn't city ot Albuquerque, "We can't \
<br />-: environment; -,_ _ . ,-j .\:~ 'Ttej f~ture dev~lopments,. ::/Jii- .here otherwise siphons use water like it's endless." :!
<br />., ' --,-,
<br />
<br />,.
<br />
<br />
<br />I:'
<br />
<br />).
<br />
<br />";':..
<br />
<br />':-
<br />
<br />',:'"
<br />
|