Plentiful sunshine. High 71F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..
Mainly clear skies. Low 62F. Winds light and variable.
Gerald Enthoven’s house, located on Sentar Road in Carpinteria, boasts of his low water bill in the Carpinteria Valley Water District due to its drought-resistant decorations.
Tired of his high water bill and looking to be ecofriendly, Gerald Enthoven tore up his front lawn and replaced it with drought-tolerant plants.
Gerald Enthoven stands next to a large cactus, part of his front yard that he transformed in to – in his own words – a “coastal desert landscape” two years ago.
Gerald Enthoven’s house, located on Sentar Road in Carpinteria, boasts of his low water bill in the Carpinteria Valley Water District due to its drought-resistant decorations.
Tired of his high water bill and looking to be ecofriendly, Gerald Enthoven tore up his front lawn and replaced it with drought-tolerant plants.
Gerald Enthoven stands next to a large cactus, part of his front yard that he transformed in to – in his own words – a “coastal desert landscape” two years ago.
Head down Via Real and peak around the corner onto Sentar Road, and you might catch a glimpse of large cacti and blooming succulents lining the front yard of a blue house – a “coastal desert landscape,” as put by the house’s owner, Gerald Enthoven.
Enthoven, who boasts a low water bill for the Carpinteria Valley, said he ripped up his entire front lawn two years ago and – tired of the high-water bills and water waste – designed his own piece of desert paradise, right there in his front lawn.
“(Our) water bill slashed in half,” he emphasized, gesturing to the collection of cacti, succulents and colorful decorations spread across his front yard, atop decomposed granite and gravel. “Nothing changed inside the house.” He points out a large metal dinosaur decoration, perfect for the “Jurassic” landscape.
Enthoven said it took him three weeks to tear up his grass lawn, and that he designed the landscape himself, inspired by trips to the desert. He put a “weed cloth” underneath the granite and gravel to prevent weeds from sprouting up.
“Fifteen years ago, I didn’t care… about the drought, I didn’t think there was water waste,” he said, noting that his family has lived in that house since 1983. But, inspired by the high bill and the need to do better for the environment, he set out to change that.
Since pulling out his grass and planting cacti and succulents, Enthoven said people walking by have taken pictures of the outside of his house and knocked on his door, asking him to design their yards.
His advice? It’s easy to pull off.
“There is a little bit of a cost initially, with the plants, but it slashed my water bill,” he said. “It’s worth it... I’m very proud.”
He also showed off his backyard to CVN, noting the expanse of green is actually AstroTurf, built to withstand the rough and tumble of his large dog and his seven grandkids. He started with renovating the backyard to be environmentally friendly five years ago as a passion project, before tackling the front.
His house, he said, is built for parties and fun – and the best of all, he doesn’t have to worry about his yard being ruined, or the high bills that come with a grass lawn.
“Two years ago, this was all grass,” he said. “All lawn – a waste of water.”
Your comment has been submitted.
There was a problem reporting this.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.