Funny shit that only happens in SoCal.

[KitchenWitch]

Our next door neighbors installed artificial turf in their yard last week.

[nini]

1. A lot of people do that for water conservation.

So Cal is a desert. Wait until the next round of water rationing and you'll see why.

[KitchenWitch]

3. True

But if I were going to do that, I would choose to have a natural desert landscape put in, instead of the astroturf.

[Spider Jerusalem]

2. Be a good idea if more people did that.

Especially in the West where there's less than 20 inches of rainfall a year. Having a lawn in someplace like Arizona or New Mexico or Nevada is stupid and wasteful.

[KFC]

4. Yes. I've seen several houses with carpeted front lawns

In City of Industry. Not artificial turf, real carpet.

[never cry wolf]

5. Quite energy wasteful

Not only is the turf made of plastic but it absorbs heat from the sun... Lighter colors reflect the UV rays.

[Shakespeare]

6. No, it isn't. It's made from recycled plastic.

The super-liberal Santa Cruz has even installed it around their city buildings:

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2006/May/18/local/stories/12local.htm

City Hall goes green with plastic lawn
By Donna Jones
Sentinel Staff Writer

Imagine never having to cut the grass again.

Never having to water, or fertilize, or use weed killers.

Well, city officials want you to take a look at the lawn a crew installed outside the police station at City Hall on Wednesday. It's plastic — recycled plastic. And for the next 10 years, the grass should stay green, the blades at the perfect height, with absolutely no fuss, and most importantly, no water.

"To promote water conservation, we wanted to show a very nice alternative," said Bob Geyer, assistant public works director.

So the city took turf installer All Sports California up on its offer to put in the new lawn at cost.

[seemunkee]

7. Had an uncle in Scotsdale paint his gravel green

He didn't have a lawn but didn't like plain gravel.

[bridgit]

8. pft, you'll get used to it...