L.A.'s Cash for Cacti Program Ups the Ante

"Around 850 L.A. homeowners and commercial property owners have pulled out a million-and-a-half square feet of grass since the city started paying them to replace it with more drought-friendly options," reports Molly Peterson. "The city wants to get rid of even more lawns, so the Department of Water and Power is sweetening the pot."

"Four years into the program, the DWP has upped how much you'll be paid to replace your lawn, from $1.50 per square foot to $2," she adds. "Two bucks a square foot can mean a few thousand dollars in the pocket of the average homeowner, and the DWP hopes that will boost interest."