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This is one of those issues where individual choices end up having compounding effects. Sure, on an individual level, it's totally reasonable to shape the patc

This is one of those issues where individual choices end up having compounding effects. Sure, on an individual level, it's totally reasonable to shape the patch of private property around your house into a grass lawn or a garden with a selection of species. Driveways are common as everyone needs a parking spot for their car, right? Compound that over regions with millions of people and that's quite big percentage of land that gets devoid of it's natural biodiversity. Which has all kinds of secondary consequences. Where I live, 75 years of fiscal policies have promoted home ownership. And so, houses with a front and back garden, terraces and hardened driveways are the norm. I also live in a one of the most densely populated regions of the world, which used to have a rather wet climate. And so, combined, this region has been optimized for drainage of excess water. It used to have a rather wet climate but that's clearly changing. This region has seen an increase in heat waves during summer times and over the past decade. Low water tables and increased temperatures in micro climates are causing concern with policy makers regarding water shortages and public health issues (heat strokes and such). Academic research and engineers are modelling that the problem will only be exacerbated by how land has been shaped through human activity. As a response, in a general public policy shift, public awareness campaigns and citizen research projects are now targeting home owners to re-think the way they shape their lawns and gardens. One of the biggest projects currently ongoing: https://curieuzeneuzen.be/home-en/ https://curieuzeneuzen.be/home-en/ Of course, the big issue is that this involves private property, and it's extremely hard convincing people that a harmless decision to have a nice or functionally cultivated property with your house on, does have end up having an environmental impact. This wasn't an issue for decades on end, but as external circumstances are changing, this is gradually becoming part of a complex issue.

rrrrrrrrrrrryan 5y ago
> ...the big issue is that this involves private property, and it's extremely hard convincing people... Money helps. Some locales in drier areas of the U.S. provide incentives for making changes to your property to reduce it's environmental impact. E.g. replacing a grass lawn with native desert plants, adding solar panels to the roof, capturing rainwater from driveways and roofs and using it to water plants and flush toilets, etc.

rrrrrrrrrrrryan 5y ago

> ...the big issue is that this involves private property, and it's extremely hard convincing people... Money helps. Some locales in drier areas of the U.S. provide incentives for making changes to your property to reduce it's environmental impact. E.g. replacing a grass lawn with native desert plants, adding solar panels to the roof, capturing rainwater from driveways and roofs and using it to water plants and flush toilets, etc.