Next time you’re out mowing the lawn, think about this map for a second. Via (something called) Fusion.net, here you go:

The map comes from a NASA study which looks at how lawns affect the environment. Here is the key part:

There is now an estimated total of 163,812 square kilometers, or more than 63,000 square miles, of lawn in America — about the size of Texas. […] maintaining a well-manicured lawn uses up to 900 liters of water per person per day and reduces sequestration effectiveness by up to 35 percent by adding emissions from fertilization and the operation of mowing equipment.

“If the entire turf surface was well watered following commonly recommended schedules there would…be an enormous pressure on the U.S. water resources, especially when considering that drinking water is usually sprinkled,” the researchers found. “At the time of this writing, in most regions outdoor water use already reaches 50-75% of the total residential use.”

 

What are alternatives to lawns? Are they worth all the trouble? How many lawns actually get used regularly?