The Grass IS Greener in Hollywood: Aerial Photos Expose How Stars like Kim K, J.Lo and Streisand are Wasting Water to Keep their Gardens Lush Despite State's Worst Drought in history
- Experts estimate there will be less than a year's worth of drinking water in California reservoir's at the end of 2015
- Yet the rich and famous of Los Angeles continue to water their lawns with apparently no concern for conservation
- Photographer John Chapple recently went out in a helicopter to photography the ever-green lawns of Kim Kardashian, Barbra Streisand and Petra Stunt among others
Daily Mail UK, 11 May 2015
California is currently in the fourth year of its worst drought in history, but the rich and famous residents of Los Angeles are still keeping up with the Kardashians when it comes to their over-the-top landscaping.
Main image is Kim and Kanye's luscious home. Top right belongs to Khloe Kardashian and bottom right is Jessica Simpson's.
Residents across California have been demolishing pools, cutting back on showers and letting their lawns turn brown after experts revealed that there will be less than a year's worth of drinking water left in the state's reservoirs by the end of 2015. But for the residents of Los Angeles' wealthy enclaves, a $100 fine for wasting water is chump change and a fee they are apparently glad to pay to maintain their almost fluorescent green lawns. Main image is Kim and Kanye's luscious home.
'The Kardashian flowers and hedges are right in our face,' a neighbor of West and Kardashian in Hidden Hills said. 'It’s disgusting. You walk by and you can smell the freshness.'
The reality star previously claimed that she was washing her hair only every five days in response to the drought, a move she called 'a little excessive, maybe'.
Scroll down for video
What drought? The Hidden Hills, California estate owned by rapper Kanye West and his reality-star wife Kim Kardashian
appears healthy and green despite California currently being in the middle of its worst drought in history
Bring on the fines: Gov Jerry Brown is calling for extreme cuts in water usage,
but paying a $100 fine for water is chump change to stars like American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez
You too Babs? Despite being an advocate for energy conservation,
Barbra Streisand's beach-side home in Malibu appears green as ever
His own private oasis: Magazine mogul Hugh Hefner refuses to let the lawn at the Playboy Mansion go brown,
even though experts predict there will be less than a year's worth of drinking water at the end of 2015
From Justin to Khloe: Khloe Kardashian purchased this Calabasas estate from pop-star Justin Bieber last year, and keeps the lawn in trip-top shape
Emerald: The Hidden Hills, California of pop-star Jessica Simpson is seen above.
Patches of her lawn appear to be browning, though her garden is still much greener compared to the neighboring lot
Sister Khloe Kardashian may be alienating some of her new neighbors with the ever-green landscaping at the Calabasas mansion she purchased from pop-star Justin Bieber last year.
Signs of the crippling drought were not at all sight at the homes of singers Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Simpson either.
A neighbor of Lopez says the American Idol judge has been approached before to tame down her lawns but didn't seem to care.
'She has been pretty dismissive. She has said, "Oh, so I’ll just pay some fines, what are they going to do?"' the source told the Post.
And of course the lawns at the notorious Playboy Mansion remain well manicured, where magazine mogul Hugh Hefner keeps residence with his 60 years younger wife.
While this devotion to appearances may not be entirely unexpected from style-obsessed stars like the Kardashians, it is shocking to see Barbra Streisand's yard just as green when she has been a proponent for energy conservation.
A spokesman for Streisand issued a statement to the Post, claiming she had cut down her water usage by over 50 per cent in the past several months but it certainly doesn't show by her full pool and manicured lawn.
Meanwhile, British Formula One heiress Petra Stunt's estate is as green as ever though she reportedly doesn't spend much time in Los Angeles.
Stunt, daughter of Bernie Ecclestone, bought the estate in 2011 for $85million from Aaron Spelling's widow Candy.
But the grass wasn't always greener on the celebrity's side of the fence. Jennifer Aniston pulled out the water-sucking vineyard on her Bel-Air estate and planted drought-resistant succulent plants across the property instead.
Second home: British Formula One heiress Petra Stunt bought the old Aaron Spelling estate from his widow Candy in 2011 for $85million.
She keeps the lawns manicured despite not spending much time at the southern California home
Compromise: Cher's lawn may be green but she has supplemented part of her estate
with water-saving palm trees in the front lawn and a patch of drought-resistant succulents in the backyard
Inspired by Erin Brokovich? Patches of Julia Roberts' lawn appear to be turning brown,which
perhaps shouldn't be a surprise considering the energy-efficient solar panels on her roof
Friend of the Earth: Jennifer Aniston has pulled out a water-sucking vineyard on her property and
planted succulents across her lawn which thrive in the arid Southern California climate
And while singer Cher's relatively-small yard of grass was very well watered, she has also opted for an orchard of water-saving palm trees in her front yard.
Actress Julia Roberts, perhaps inspired by her role as environmental advocate Erin Brokovich, has started to let patches of her lawn turn brown and has also installed solar panels on her roof.
And other celebrities have taken alternative measures to contribute to the water-conservation effort.
Former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne, 62, said she and her husband Ozzy, of Black Sabbath, reserve flushing the toilet as much as possible.
‘When I pee, I don’t flush,’ Osbourne said.
That sentiment was echoed by Cameron Diaz. The 42-year-old said: ‘Only when I do number two, I flush. If it’s yellow leave it mellow; if it’s brown flush it down.’
Others have written checks to help the thirsty state. William Shatner launched a campaign to raise $30billion for a pipeline from rainy Seattle to California (perhaps ill-advised since Washington State is also going through a drought) while Lady Gaga donated $25,000 to a water supply study.
In response to the crippling drought, Gov Jerry Brown has enacted even tighter rules on water consumption calling for an up to 36 per cent cut.
Las Virgenes Municpal Water District which, supplies many of these opulent homes with their water supplies says they are trying to get A-listers 'on the bus' but that a maximum fine of $100 dollars doesn't exactly inspire huge motivation to millionaires.
Gov Brown promised to get new legislation passed that could up the penalty to a $10,000 fine, though no such bill has been introduced as of yet.
How Ordinary Californians are Adapting to Drought