The residents of the island of Gotland, Sweden have done something extraordinary with their water crisis. Instead of wallowing in the face of a water shortage, the municipality came up with a unique (if not slightly bizarre) strategy to increase awareness and take action. They named their exciting idea—wait for it—the Ugliest Lawn Competition.
What Exactly is the Ugliest Lawn Competition?
As you might have guessed, the Ugliest Lawn Compeititon is exactly what the name suggests—a contest that rewards the resident with the most unkempt lawn. The idea was born after an irrigation ban was imposed on the island that prevented residents from watering their lawns to conserve water. The first competition was held in 2022 and in 2023 Stina Östman emerged as the winner.
“It was the easiest competition to win; I didn’t have to do anything. It’s always nice to win, even if you are the worst,” Östman told The Guardian. She celebrated the victory with her dog, who she said “loves to dig in the dust.” This means that “there are a lot of holes and bumps, so at least he’s very happy.”
A Creative Approach to a Critical Problem
While the residents of Gotland, Sweden would undoubtedly prefer lush green yards to dust and dirt, they agreed that regular watering was simply not wise in the face of extreme water shortages. So, they decided that a change in attitude was a better approach, and homeowners started jumping on the ugly lawn bandwagon.
Johan Gustafsson, the organizer of the competition explained “We wanted to make sustainability communication positive — it’s common to see negative headlines that make you feel bad. This is the opposite — the competition made people smile, and they didn’t have to do a thing to participate, they could just relax and have a cup of tea. We think that also made it a success.”
Spreading Awareness One Ugly Lawn at a Time
Sweden has experienced a significant increase in the number of tourists over the past few years. While this may be good news for the country’s economy, it has also put an increased strain on local water resources. To make matters worse, the island also has less groundwater due to decreased rain and snow. For these reasons, Gotland is projected to experience a 13% reduction in its water supply between 2021 and 2050.
Östman, who won a T-shirt and a diploma for clinching first place in the contest, says there’s nothing to be ashamed of. “We shouldn’t be embarrassed if our lawns are not perfect or green. I don’t feel ashamed — I’m happy to show the world — or at least Gotland,” she said.
And many people in the community agree that given the island’s condition, there are much more critical ways to use the sparing water than keeping a beautiful lawn. Hopefully, this competition will also make the largest island in Sweden more prominent on the world’s map.
Would you like to participate in the fun and spread awareness of what’s going on in Gotland? Then take a photo of your ugly lawn and post it to your Instagram page with the #worldsugliestlawn hashtag.
