Taking a look at interesting programs in other areas, I came across Santa Monica’s program to provide grants for landscaping that replaces water-thirsty turf and other plants with water-conserving landscaping, including native plants. Sustainable landscaping has not been a focus of CGF, but it’s not completely unrelated, either. Some of the water that the good citizens of Santa Monica have been pouring on their lawns was diverted from its original destination, the San Francisco Bay. Conserving that water is a great idea. And just as CGF is concerned with conserving natural, open areas, making developed areas more natural also seems like a good idea.

-Brian