Why is landscaping the devil?

Turf and landscape irrigation gets a lot of bad press. It seems to be an easy target. Environmentalists vilify property owners who have beautiful landscapes as evil wasters of our natural resources. I admit there are many property owners who waste water while they are watering their landscapes. That is why I am in business. Inefficient watering has to be eliminated, but that does not mean that all watering needs to be stopped. Plants need water to survive. Efficient watering can cause them to thrive.
There are benefits to having a good lawn. A good lawn can help cool the area around a building. Lawns trap pollutants and filter dirt and dust from the air. Lawns convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. They also help reduce noise in urban areas. Watering the lawn is not wasting water.
The problem before us is getting rid of sloppy waterers. Property owners who do not have rain sensors are the easiest wasters to spot. It is unbelievable to me that there are people stupid enough to water while it is raining, however there is a bank a few blocks from my house that I have seen watering in the rain. If they aren't good stewards of our resources, are they good stewards of my money?