Celebrities are now targets of California #DroughtShaming - Los Angeles Times
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Celebrities are now targets of California #DroughtShaming

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As California enters its fourth year of drought, #DroughtShaming has become a big thing.

People on social media call out neighbors who waste water. Others are using apps to show water wasters in their neighborhoods. And now the government is asking California residents to report wasters.

Over the weekend, this extended to celebrities.

The New York Post did a story showing sprawling celebrity properties with lush, green landscaping in Southern California, making the case that they were wasting water.

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Pop star Jennifer Lopez and Academy Award winner Barbra Streisand are among the celebrities mentioned.

But it’s hard know how big of water wasters they are. And it’s unclear when the aerial photographs were taken.

Still, big homes with landscaping tend to use a lot more water than other properties.

Last month, Beverly Hills approved limits on watering lawns, washing cars and refilling pools. A $1,000 fine was enacted for water wasters.

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In West Los Angeles, officials at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Westwood temple have allowed their lawns to go brown.

Farther south, Newport Beach officials imposed harsher water conservation efforts, restricting water and limiting landscape watering between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

It appears the push to conserve water by means of #DroughtShaming is not a fad.

A statewide survey released in March showed 66% of Californians believe their neighbors are not doing enough to save water during the drought, according to a poll by the Public Policy Institute of California.

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And 23% of Californians said it is the most pressing issue facing the state.

For breaking news in California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA.

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