The concept of a lawn originated in the 18th century as a status symbol, a glorification that has remained steady over decades and into modern times. However, the benefits of reexamining this culture and replacing lawns with other landscaping alternatives will revolutionize the landscape from the status quo of water-hungry, high-maintenance stretches of grass. Ultimately, California needs to get rid of its lawns in order to combat the ongoing battle against drought, and UC schools should be the ones setting the example as a major cultural icon of the state.
In their 2015 paper titled “Lawn as a cultural and ecological phenomenon,” researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences delved into the reason for society’s attachment to lawns and proposed that “most people in the Western world view lawns as a ‘natural’ and even compulsory element of the urban landscape, without questioning their social, symbolic, ecological or aesthetic values.” This manifests itself in the societal expectation for perfectly shorn, manicured green lawns. That being said, it is clear that the refusal to let go of lawns is not an argument of logic or utility but rather the result of age-old tradition.
However, times have rapidly changed, and as we actively pour our water resources into lawns, contributing to the drought, the crunch for resources has become a significant concern. The average American family uses 320 gallons of water per day, and about a third of this total goes towards lawns and landscaping. Landscape water use takes up nearly 9% of all statewide water consumption, and this is simply to upkeep an aesthetic that should have been eliminated years ago when droughts became a concern.
Southern California is one of the driest regions in the nation. Drier areas mean that maintaining lawns requires more water, drawing from already scarce resources and making the area drier, thus perpetuating the effect. For example, a lawn in Crescent City on the coast of Northern California might need 22,000 gallons of water, but a lawn of the same size in the city of Los Angeles would need 63,000 gallons of water per year. This is an absolutely unacceptable usage of water in an area historically prone to some of the worst droughts and wildfires nationwide.
The common counterargument for lawns is that they provide a glimpse of nature in the otherwise urbanized world. However, low-shorn lawns are a sorry symbol of “real” nature, containing only homogeneity and contributing no biodiversity to the surrounding ecosystems. Their aesthetic more so represents the taming of the wild, as mankind bends and welds nature into its image, to stand as a symbol of status, property, and wealth.
It is time for a change, and the UCs have the opportunity to lead this simple but effective revolution against lawns. With their widespread presence across the state, these campuses possess both the influence and prominence needed for this initiative. Historically, the UCs have been a major catalyst for change both scientifically and socially. The 10 universities have a combined 71 Nobel Laureates and are constantly pushing the limits and changing the landscape of science, while also maintaining a major cultural position in social problems.
Furthermore, the UC campuses have an obligation to make changes, as they have promised greener campuses through sustainability programs. On multiple occasions, they have also acknowledged climate change both publicly, by limiting their use of natural gas and reducing emissions, and indirectly through climate-oriented research. UCLA, for one, has started to deliver on this promise and replaced its intramural fields with artificial turf, saving the campus 11.3 million gallons of water annually. UC San Diego and the other UCs have the opportunity and the obligation to follow in UCLA’s footsteps.
Meanwhile, UCSD is researching innovative AI that battles wildfires and climate change, a feat that recently made Time Magazine’s Top Inventions of 2023. Yet, we are failing to acknowledge what we, as a school, can do on a smaller and more direct scale to contribute to a positive change by conserving water.
There are plenty of alternatives that provide the same aesthetic effect lawns have, such as artificial grass, wild grass, or artwork, all of which give the same effect of bringing a touch of nature into the urban world. UCSD can replace the Warren Mall with artificial grass or stones or artwork. The same can be done for the Sixth College lawns and the patchwork of grass at Main Gym, Revelle College, and Price Center. UCSD has the opportunity to set an example for everyone else and hopefully lessen California’s water usage to combat the seemingly never-ending drought.
