by Amy-Doan Vo
Westwood High School, Austin, TX
Honorable mention
We often forget the value of water because of its seemingly overwhelming abundance on Earth. However, in parts of the world that live on merely 3 gallons of water a day, water wastage such as that often seen in the Western world seems unspeakable. Each year, a typical American wastes thousands of gallons of water on trivial matters such as long showers, leaky faucets, and lawn watering. In fact, according to the Alliance for Water Efficiency, more than half of the average household’s treated, drinkable water is used to care for the lawn.
Lawn water wastage is such a major issue that finding a way to cut back on the water supply used for grass-watering would be enormously beneficial. By genetically engineering a grass that needs low amounts of water and covers large areas of soil, water needed for lawn maintenance would be greatly reduced.
Curly, drought-tolerant grass would meet this criteria. Instead of growing vertically like traditional grass, this grass would grow in spirals and stick close to the ground. Because the grass would grow at an angle, it would better cover earth than traditional grass, even with a lower population. In theory, the grass would cover more surface area, and because fewer plants would be needed, water use would be lessened. Additionally, the grass would need only low levels of water, further reducing the water needed to maintain a lawn.
As an engineering working on the project, I would use genetic engineering technology to cultivate grass with the desired qualities. However, there are many safety concerns to address when dealing with genetically modified organisms. For example, by splicing genes together to create curly grass, our engineering team could inadvertently make the grass rash-inducing. It may not be safe for individuals with severe allergic reactions to sit in the grass or walk through it for prolonged periods of time. To test for safety issues such as allergic reactions to the grass, we would need to run tests, such as pricking the skin with the suspected allergen, to see if the organisms that come in contact with the grass display any negative symptoms.
However, a more pressing concern about growing the grass is environmental sustainability. Invasive species are a major problem in the modern world, capable of causing extinction in competitor species if the newly introduced species is too well adapted. Due to its low need for water, the grass may outgrow native species in the areas it is planted in, overcrowding the original plants and causing them to die from competition for resources such as light and water. Additionally, because the grass covers a lot of surface area, it would need to expand its area of growth in order to find space to accommodate new shoots of curly grass. This would cause the curly grass to possibly expand out of homeowners’ lawns and into local greenbelts. My engineering team would have to take measures to make sure that the curly grass would not excessively reproduce and provide high levels of competition for local plant species.
Therefore, a solution to the problem of the curly grass possibly becoming an invasive species is to make sure that it is not adapted too well to environments in which it is grown. Engineering root length so that the plant needs regular watering in small amounts would make sure that it does not become invasive in climates with little rainfall. For climates with high rainfall, our engineering team could create a variety of curly grass that does not produce seeds and therefore would not grow out of the area in which it was planted. The company selling the curly grass could also sell seed packets separately in case the grass needs to be replanted.
Besides from potentially harming the environment because of overcompetition, genetically modified organisms such as the curly grass could also cause damage to native organisms. If the grass had a side effect of being poisonous, causing an increased risk for certain diseases, or other negative traits, animals that in the past used grass as a food source would be harmed. Deer, squirrels, ants, and other grass-ingesting organisms would suffer, and as a result, the grass would inflict enormous damage on the local ecosystem. Our engineering team would therefore need to take measures to ensure that the grass does not produce toxins. Using chemical tests to identify the substances the curly grass does make, or to test for the presence of common toxins, we could guarantee to an extent that the grass is safe for the native animals to come in contact with.
Another challenge that poses a significant threat to both human and wildlife safety is the risk of wildfire. When engineering the grass to need routine watering, my team would also have to consider what would happen when the grass is neglected. If the grass simply dried out, it would become highly flammable. However, if our team was able to create a grass that continuously diverted enough extra water into an extra vacuole so that even if it died due to lack of water, the grass would not pose a flame hazard, the grass would be safer. Ideally, the grass would be unable to withdraw water from that vacuole despite possible life-threatening conditions for the grass. Despite not being a healthy trait for the curly grass itself, the extra water vacuole would increase safety for the environment.
Genetically engineering curly grass needing only small amounts of water to efficiently combat lawn water wastage is a challenge, both because of the complexity of genetic engineering as well as the lengthy process of verifying that the end organism is safe for consumers. Although engineers must invest considerable time testing their products in order to vouch for their safety in many different areas, such as environmentally and with humans, taking measures to ensure that innovations do not become health hazards is a vital part of the design process. As engineers, our job is to make improvements for the world, and we must ensure that those improvements do not result in new problems that need to be solved by the next generation.
References:
Boyle, R. (2011, January 4). How To Genetically Modify a Seed, Step By Step. Retrieved January 22, 2016 from http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-01/life-cycle-genetically-modified-seed
Mullins, L. (2010, July 8). Six Ways You’re Wasting Water Right Now. Retrieved January 22, 2016 from http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2010/07/08/6-ways-youre-wasting-water-right-now
No Author Available. Allergy Testing. Retrieved January 28, 2016 from http://acaai.org/allergies/treatment/allergy-testing
No Author Available. Environmental Own Goals: Wasting Water. Retrieved January 22, 2016 from http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/own_goals/wasting_water/
No Author Available. Environmental Own Goals: Invasive Species. Retrieved January 22, 2016 from http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/own_goals/invasive_species/
No Author Available. Genetic Engineering: Introduction. Retrieved January 22, 2016 from https://www.learner.org/interactives/dna/engineering.html
No Author Available. What is Water Waste?. Retrieved January 26, 2016 from https://www.austintexas.gov/department/what-water-waste