The Swedish island of Gotland is such a popular European holiday destination that its population doubles during the summer. But it regularly experiences droughts as groundwater is scarce and saltwater just below the ground can contaminate wells. Thus saving water has been a high priority for years – especially as summers get hotter. In May 2022, an irrigation ban was introduced.

But Gotland wanted to move beyond forcing people to save water – it wanted them to do it with enthusiasm. “We soon realized that the challenge was all about shifting people’s mindset of what makes the island beautiful to make water conservation beautiful, even if it lacks aesthetic qualities,” said the Swedish creative agency Differ. “We wanted people to stop wasting water, and take pride in sustainability instead.”

Thinking about how Gotland could save a lot of water if people started to see ugly, dry lawns as beautiful led to the idea of creating an ‘Ugly Lawn’ competition for Gotlanders, which proved that sustainability communication can be fun and effective.