… This site is an experiment in reshaping the unused grassy expanses that sprawl across campus. For decades, the area was a patch of green grass that f ell into the category of “nonfunctional turf” – a term water experts use to describe grass that serves no purpose besides aesthetics. Now, as part of a statewide effort to save water, Colorado’s government is trying to convince people and institutions to rip out their thirsty grass lawns and replace them with native plants and more functional space. It comes amid an urgent need to cut down on water use, but there are limits to the amount of water that can be saved. With the help of a state grant and money from the nonprofit Western Resource Advocates, UNC’s patch of grass — which long served no purpose besides looking pretty — will be replaced with a patio, spots for hammocks and native prairie grasses.

Other water conservation articles:

• 12News (Phoenix, Ariz.): Leaders unite at ASU to tackle water conservation and industry challenges
• Arizona Republic: Creating ‘water leaders’: CAP to open a new water education center in north Phoenix