The American Lawn Is Now The Largest Single 'Crop' In The U.S.

Americans’ lawns now cover an area three times larger than any irrigated crop in the U.S. According to a new study from NASA scientists in collaboration with researchers in the Mountain West, there is now an estimated total of 163,812 square kilometers, or more than 63,000 square miles, of lawn in America — about the size of Texas. Here’s the map: The study was not about the growth of lawns, however. Instead, it focused on their impact on the environment and water resources. The researchers found that well manicured lawns can act as carbon sinks — meaning they would help mitigate climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, maintaining a well-manicured lawn uses up to 900 liters of water per person per day and reduces sequestration effectiveness by up to 35 percent by adding emissions from fertilization and the operation of mowing equipment. “If the entire turf surface was well watered following commonly recommended schedules there would. . . be an enormous pressure on the U.S. water resources, especially when considering that drinking water is usually sprinkled,” the researchers found. “At the time of this writing, in most regions outdoor water use already reaches 50-75 percent of the total residential use.” The study comes as Californians wrestle with how to care for their lawns in the midst of a four-year drought. Southern California’s water district has begun a “cash for grass” s...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news