At What Cost?

Ever wondered what the actual costs are to replace a traditional non-native landscape with a sustainable native landscape?

This great article takes you step by step through the cost benefit analysis of replacing a San Jose area business park's traditional landscape with drought tolerant native plantings.

Lots of great and practical info on natives as well as the process of converting your landscape!

http://www.landscapeonline.com/research/article/4593

Gift Idea

Ocean Friendly Gardens Book!

Sunset Cliffs Drainage

A big part of Ocean Friendly Gardens is CPR: Conservation, Permeability and Retention. Here, we wanted to focus on the Permeability and Retention. Throughout most of Southern California the 'old school' thinking was that we need to get rid of all of the storm water from homes, parking lots, etc. rather than finding ways to let it soak in to help replenish and recharge local aquifers, support native plants, etc.

The area around Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is no exception. A large residential area is above the linear or norther section while Point Loma Nazarene University surrounds the hilltop or southern section of the park. Both have accelerated runoff, pollution and erosion in the park over the years. Currently the City of San Diego is working with the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Council to develop a drainage plan for the area.

Recently, Surfrider was able to document some of the drainage issues and we look forward to being involved in the drainage project. Click Here for more photos.

Conservation is seen as key to dealing with state's water woes

Article in the LA Times: "The reason is simple. Compared to building new reservoirs, recycling or seawater desalination, conservation is one of the cheapest, quickest and least environmentally damaging ways for the state to get more water."

LINK TO ARTICLE

Green your garden by removing your lawn

Lawns may be green but they are less than eco-friendly and definitely aren't ocean friendly.

The urban sprawl of Southern California has turned it from an arid myriad of plant and animal species into a vast monoculture of emerald green turf, gobbling up water and requiring tons of chemical beauty enhancers to maintain its verdant luster. According to several SoCal water districts and other sources up to 70% of potable water use goes toward landscape use...it wouldn't be far off to guess that lawn takes up the major share of that.

But the price we pay for these lush landscapes goes far beyond rising water rates; the fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals required to keeps lawns green don't stay in our landscapes. They wash into our watersheds, eventually ending up in reservoirs and the ocean, creating massive algae blooms and countless other health problems for native wildlife and humans. Gas mowers and blowers used for lawn maintenance pollute our air not to mention the carbon footprint of the dozens of diesel pumps required to move the majority of our water here from the Colorado River or Northern California. Possibly saddest of all, a vast array of our native birds, butterflies, and other wildlife are left homeless and without food when their habitat is replaced by lawn.

The good news is that by removing your lawn you are left with a blank canvas on which you can create a lush and unique Ocean Fiendly Garden full of native plants and grasses, artistic features, and, best of all, life!

The photos above show a lawn recently turned turned OFG (along with a few other upgrades) at a residence near Long Beach. His brother is now installing his own OFG a few blocks away!

For more interesting facts about the United States' obsession with lawns check out this article:

http://www.sustainlane.com/reviews/our-love-affair-with-our-lawns-is-hurling-the-u-s-toward-water-crisis/US18WK9Y9VW98XCSCHVZVZ28VO3A