Have
you ever lost a thousand dollars? I just did, and boy do I feel stupid.
I
thought I was so smart and so green and so groovy. I decided to xeriscape my
rental house. There was at least 2,000 square feet of lawn that I ripped out to
replace with a low-water landscape. I’m so cool. At least I thought so—until a
neighbor walked up to me and said, “Did you know that the county will give you
a rebate for ripping out your lawn and installing drought-tolerant plantings?”
Now
I feel really smart, not only am I doing something really good for the
environment—I’m going to get money back for doing my good deed.
My
neighbor gave me a number for the county. I thought I was set. I dialed the
phone. I talked to a nice gentleman who gently but very efficiently deflated my
ego and my wallet by telling me that the county must be notified before
the lawn is ripped out.
The
inspector needs to examine the lawn and the irrigation system, and look at your
water bill. The county will give you a rebate of a dollar a square foot up to
$1,000. I had over 2,000 square feet of lawn, but the lawn, along with its
irrigation system had already been ripped out.
And
that is how I lost $1,000.
If
you are planning to rip out your lawn to install a water-wise landscape, and
you live in Santa Clara County, please call before you rip out your lawn. Be
prepared to supply a copy of your water bill.
Cash-for-grass
programs are available in many counties in California and in other states. If
you live in an area that is prone to drought—or even an area that isn’t—check
with your local water district to see if they provide a landscape rebate
program.
Stumble It!
Recent Comments