By Laura Wagner
Pierce Conservation District has just launched the Golden Lawn campaign in partnership with Tacoma Water, the City of Tacoma, and Pierce County. This campaign urges a community effort to save water by letting your lawn go dormant during the summer months. When the rains return, the majority of lawn types in our region will re-green on their own. 
One of our Golden Lawn campaign yard signs in action
Participants in the Golden Lawn Campaign can get a free yard sign like the one pictured above to show their support for water conservation and their commitment to helping the environment.
Why Go Gold?
Save Money
It is estimated that almost one-third of all residential water in the United States is used for landscape irrigation. Water bills commonly increase in the summer due to this high usage, and lawn fertilizers and fuel for gas mowers only add to the cost. A drought tolerant lawn requires less watering, less mowing and no fertilizer. What will you do with your savings instead?
Protect Puget Sound
Toxic runoff is the #1 source of pollution in the Puget Sound. Reducing or eliminating the amount of lawn mower gas, lawn fertilizer, and herbicides used on your property means fewer pollutants entering our streams through excess irrigation and stormwater runoff when the rains return.
Climate Resiliency
As summer temperatures increase and droughts intensify, we need to work together to protect the quantity and quality of our fresh water supplies to help our region respond to changing conditions.
How Do I Participate?
You can be a part of the movement to let your lawn go golden in three easy steps:
- Sign the pledge here to get a yard sign!
- After you get your yard sign from Pierce Conservation District or Tacoma Water, place it in your lawn. Reduce your watering and watch your grass go gold. See below for more instructions on how to get a sign and how to care for your golden lawn.
- Tell the world! Snap a photo of you and your golden lawn with your yard sign and tag @MyTPU, @PierceConservationDistrict, and #GoingGoldenLawn
You can check out our Golden Lawn Campaign page here for additional information. If you have any questions about this campaign, don't hesitate to contact greenstormwater@piercecd.org.