In the Santa Monica Mountains, approximately 70% of our drinking water is used on landscaping, and 100% of our water is imported from far away. Somewhere we lost sight of the value of water that we need to survive.
Due to fewer landscaped areas in urban areas, outdoor water use is closer to 50%; these areas are covered with more hardscaping such as buildings and roads. This situation causes increased water runoff.
We are wasting water when we let rainwater pour off of our properties and flow straight to the ocean instead of collecting it in a rain barrel for watering our plants.
Graywater, the water that flows down the drain when we shower or wash our clothes, is also wasted if it goes down the drain. However, with a permit, graywater reuse systems can be created for use on landscaping. Laundry to Landscape graywater reuse can save you money while watering your trees.
Conserving water, capturing rainwater, reducing and eliminating pesticide use, creating wildlife habitat, and growing food for our families allows us to landscape in a sustainable manner.