Clark is excited by the idea of installing fake grass for the purpose of conserving water. Today's fake grass is a far cry from the AstroTurf of yesteryear. In fact, you can't tell today's fake grass isn't the real deal; manufacturers even weave in some decoy weeds!

In Las Vegas, homeowners are actually paid to dig up their yards and convert them to desertscape. The stunner is that the Las Vegas Strip only uses 3% of the city's water. That's because casino owners are good capitalists and have used every possible water-saving technique in their buildings.

The Los Angeles Times now reports that California is offering a similar deal. Golden State homeowners are being encouraged to convert to landscaping that requires less water. But some local municipalities are fining homeowners when they make the switch. Talk about state and local governments working at cross purposes!