Florida's Garden of Eden has magnificent flora, millions of acres of luscious green lawns, and thousands of miles of underground aquifers to keep it green, or does it? The immediate crisis the aquifers face is hidden from unaware eyes and doesn't surface as people move into the state, design their landscapes or think about what kind of irrigation systems they want. It's the classic "out of sight, out of mind" syndrome.
The United States is the only country in the world that uses potable, drinking water for irrigation. In Florida, 27 first magnitude springs produce 8 billion gallons of fresh water a day with consumption use of more than 7.7 billion gallons of water a day. Since 1970, the state's major consumers - agriculture and commercial industries, such as golf courses - have reduced their wasteful practices and upgraded to modern technology. As a result, they have increased their water use by only 28 percent while expanding their businesses at a considerably greater rate. The thirstiest consumer of Florida's water is the general public: homeowners irrigating their lawns have increased their consumption by 134 percent over that same time frame. It's easy to understand the increased use; in 1970, only a few homes had automatic irrigation systems while all real estate developments today provide a sprinkler system because everyone wants to have a beautiful, green landscape.
It's not easy being green in Florida. Or is it?
If I could bank a nickel for every time I heard someone say, "I have to water more because my lawn is turning yellow," I could retire tomorrow and just dabble leisurely in my own garden. Most water wasters truly believe that watering makes plants green. Watering makes the plants hydrated so that they can absorb the nutrients that allows them to grow leaves and create chlorophyll. Chlorophyll, not water, makes plants green. If you really don't believe that bit of science trivia, ask yourself "Do I drink water?" If the answer is "Yes," look in the mirror and check out the color of your skin. Are you green? Hopefully the only green part of your anatomy will be your thumb! Watering too much actually will leach out the nutrients that contribute to growth. As a result, grass and plants become chlorotic. The upside paradox of watering efficiently is that if you water less often but more efficiently, you will have a healthier landscape and lower water bills while helping to save Florida's most precious resource.
