Lawns are undeniably an American symbol. But what do they really symbolize? Pride and prosperity? Or waste and conformity? Gimme Green is a humorous look at the American obsession with the residential lawn and the effects it has on our environment, our wallets, and our outlook on life. Whether in the sun-parched deserts of the American southwest or the humid climates of the eastern seaboard, the residential landscape is the same. Lawns carpet 50,000 square miles in the United States, requiring more than 30,000 tons of pesticides each year and 200 gallons of water a day per American. Every day, 5,000 acres in America are converted to lawns. By examining the social, commercial, and environmental pressures surrounding the green-grass aesthetic, we begin to understand how a non-edible, resource-intensive plant has become our nation's largest irrigated crop. Employing an engaging blend of gravity and levity, this documentary short follows a lawn of the month contest in a small suburb and a city code enforcement officer as he writes citations for unkempt lawns. It examines the inner-workings of a desert sod farm as well as an artificial turf factory. It questions how lawn pesticides are applied and what their affects may be on our health. Through an unforgettable exploration of one of our most recognizable national symbols, Gimme Green will ensure you never look at grass the same way again.

Forms: Documentary, Short
Genres: Alternative, Comedy, Educational, Independent, Environmental, Science, Culture