Need an research paper on xeriscaped gardens: a viable alternative. Needs to be 7 pages. Please no plagiarism. One of the ways in which the demand for water can be decreased is through the use of landscaping that has plants and features that require less water than a typical lawn and set of flower beds might use. Through the use of a more environmentally friendly ‘dry’ landscaping, the reduction in water usage can be significant.

The population growth and the excuses that lead to high levels of water usage have created a challenge for the urban water utilities in California. It is difficult to cultivate new sources of water and can incur a high level of cost. In addition, the search for new water sources can endanger wildlife in the areas that are utilized for increasing the amount of available water (Hanek and Davis). With the weather being typically warm and the hydration evaporating from lawns in the dryer California regions, excessive use of water quickly depletes resources at a quicker rate than they can be replenished. As populations increase, this is going to be an increasing problem in a state that has already experienced shortages on a regular basis. As an example, in 2009 California experienced water shortages which resulted in disruptions in the economics of the state as farmers experienced losses due to a lack of water for crops (Cody i).

There are a great many excuses that are used for the overuse of water. One of those excuses might be that if one resident agrees, and then the homeowners association sees it and the benefits to that type of garden, they may insist that all homes have a xeriscaped garden. This is an excuse that represents the slippery slope type of refutation against a claim of abuses of water usage. On average, California residents within city limits use about 232 gallons of water per person per day (Hanek and Davis). This excess combined with expected population growth endangers the amount of water that is available and could end in serious shortages.