Green Home, Sort of Green Grass

If you live in the Southwest, one of the greenest aspects of your home can also be the least ecologically friendly. We're talking about your lawn, folks. In many states it's estimated that 30% of total water use is for outdoor purposes. And in states like California and Nevada, where water shortages are the norm, it makes more sense to rip out the grass and put down native plants.

One Las Vegas man found a completely new alternative. Robert Curry was sick of paying $225 a month for watering and maintenance, but he wasn't willing to spend the thousands of dollars it would have taken to install rocks and desert landscape.

"Being a painter, I did what a painter would do and fixed it my way," the professional muralist told the Las Vegas Sun.
He loaded an insecticide sprayer with green paint and used his dried, brown lawn as a canvas. The result is the word "Green" stenciled in giant precise font across his dead grass. His neighbors think he's a little quirky, but his water bill now peaks at a whopping $9.

You don't have to go to extremes just to make your lawn more environmentally friendly. Professional landscapers across the U.S. are getting schooled on native plants and conservative watering techniques (also known as xeriscaping). Web sites including Plantnative.org provide tips and recommendations for plants as well as a comprehensive directory of local landscapers in each state.

Have you made the decision to rip out your traditional lawn? What advice to you have for someone who wants to make the same change? [Las Vegas Sun]