Las Vegas is ripping up millions of square feet of grass - including greenery along the iconic strip - as the city struggles with a decades-long drought made worse by climate change.
Lawmakers last year outlawed turf that is only decorative, and property owners across the city are replacing grass with a mix of artificial turf and desert-friendly plants.
A decade-long drought has also prompted Chile's capital Santiago to abandon lush lawns in favor of desert flora.Nevada gets much of its water from nearby Lake Mead, which also supplies California, Arizona and Mexico. But levels have dropped to an all-time low due to a sustained drought exacerbated by climate change.
“Over the next three years here in Las Vegas, they're going to convert about 180 million square feet of natural grass to azurescape. And much of that is going to be artificial turf,” said George Neagle from SynLawn, one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of artificial landscapes.“It doesn't look like it's artificial grass to me. I feel like it's real. ... It feels good,” homeowner Linda Laird said.
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